New chief executive for Co-operative Development Scotland
Sarah is currently a senior manager with Scottish Enterprise and has been instrumental in the delivery of its Companies of Scale pilot programme, developed to support companies in key industry sectors with a turnover of £10+ million, and which have the ambition to grow to £100+ million.
In her new role, Sarah brings considerable strategic business development experience to help the co-operative and mutual sector grow and support co-operative businesses. She takes up her new position on 22 September 2008.
Sarah says, “I am excited to be leading CDS in its next phase of development as I believe the organisation has a strong role to play in delivering sustainable growth for Scotland’s economy.
“Throughout my career I have developed a deep understanding of public/private sector partnerships, working across both sectors at a senior level. I am sure this will be invaluable in my new role to enable a wider understanding of the benefits of, and support for, the co-operative business model.”
Ivan Broussine, chair of the CDS Advisory Board comments, “I am delighted at Sarah’s appointment and, on behalf of the CDS Advisory Board, warmly welcome her. Sarah brings proven leadership in delivering growth for Scottish businesses and extensive private and public sector experience through senior management and Board appointments.
“I would like to thank Ian Hughes for his contribution as out-going chief executive. He has built strong foundations for CDS that Sarah can take forward and develop further.”
CDS was launched in January 2007 to help more Scottish start-ups and growing companies to adopt the co-operative business model. It has £3 million funding over three years from the Scottish Government.
Co-operative and mutual organisations account for 4.5% of Scotland’s GDP with £25 billion assets, £3.5 billion annual turnover, 21,000 employees and more than 2 million members.
Established by the Scottish Government, CDS’s role is to promote and support co-operative and mutually owned businesses. Across the world co-ops operate successfully in banking and insurance, agricultural and food production, credit unions, retail and wholesale distribution. They include employee owned enterprises, secondary co-ops and mutual enterprises. In the US 13% of energy production is undertaken by co-ops while in some OECD economies co-operatives comprise over to 10 per cent of GDP.
Some of the best know co-operative names in Scotland are Tullis Russel, Scotmid, Loch Fyne Oysters, Highland Healthcare, Dunfermline Building Society, Scotmid, First Milk, John Lewis Partnership and the Co-operative Group, which has just purchased Somerfield for £1.57billion.