Chief Executive’s Foreword
The Scottish Government set raising sustainable economic growth as its Purpose when it launched the Government Economic Strategy last year: “Sustainable economic growth is the one central unifying purpose to which all else in Government is directed and contributes”[1].
Businesses are the generators of wealth and are fundamental to economic growth. Scottish Enterprise will support businesses, of all sizes, which have high growth potential and which are important to the Scottish economy. We will deliver programmes and services that aim to help them increase innovation, improve productivity, compete internationally and increase their contribution to Scotland’s economic growth. These programmes and services will increasingly be tailored to the needs and demands of our priority industries.
Achieving the aspirations set out in the Government Economic Strategy will require the complete alignment of strategy and resources across the public sector in Scotland. This collaborative approach – in particular with local authorities, Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, VisitScotland, Scottish Development International and Highlands and Islands Enterprise – will be vital to unlocking Scotland’s economic potential, particularly given the challenging economic environment in which we will be operating.
We look forward especially to working closely with the new Skills Development Scotland to deliver the Government’s ‘Skills in Scotland’ strategy. We also welcome the commitment by local authorities to increase their involvement and investment in economic development at a local level.
During recent months we have undertaken a root and branch restructuring of Scottish Enterprise. We have simplified our governance and substantially reduced our headcount and our cost base. After transferring out activities related to Careers Scotland, skills and learning, local regeneration and Business Gateway we are now fit for the purpose of supporting our business customers. In pursuing this agenda, we will continue in all our activities to seek to share risk with the private sector.
Jack Perry
Chief Executive
Scottish Enterprise