Forth Green Freeport appoints Chief Executive – The NEN

Forth Green Freeport (FGF) has announced that it has appointed Sarah Murray as the first Chief Executive of the public/private consortium.

FGF officially opened for business last month (12 June) with a commitment to deliver an ambitious green growth strategy to re-industrialise Scotland, bringing economic and net zero benefits for the country as a whole and the local communities in Fife, Falkirk, Leith and beyond.

Sarah is a highly professional leader who brings to the role considerable relevant experience working with multiple layered organisations (public and private sector) developing skills and infrastructure that drive economic activity. She also has considerable stakeholder engagement experience and collaborative successes which are seen as being particularly relevant.

Sarah is currently the Director of Local London, a sub-regional economic growth partnership of nine London boroughs, and was previously Head of Regulation for the City of London Corporation (2016-2021).

Sarah spent 16 years working in Brussels in various senior roles, including leading the East of England Brussels Office, Lancashire Brussels Office and as Deputy Director at the Channel Islands Brussels Office. Sarah has also been an Executive Director of the Thames Estuary Growth Board (2021-2023) and has recently been included on the Net Zero 50 list for 2024.

Sarah was appointed following an exhaustive recruitment process led by independent recruitment specialists and involving a recruitment panel and a two stage interview process.

She will take up her role as CEO on 27 August.

Welcoming Sarah to the role, Dame Susan Rice DBE, Chair of Forth Green Freeport, said: "The position of CEO of Forth Green Freeport is core to our success.

We conducted a robust recruitment process to ensure that we got the right person for the job and we're thrilled to have appointed Sarah.

"She brings with her a host of qualities and professional experience which are vital for the role as CEO of the Forth Green Freeport and we're looking forward to working with her to deliver this exciting long-term programme for Scotland."

Commenting on her appointment, Sarah Murray said: "This is an exciting opportunity for me personally and for Scotland to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits, both nationally and for local communities.

"Throughout my career I have gained a wealth of experience of working with multilayered partnerships and I understand the importance of good, transparent stakeholder engagement.

I am looking forward to getting started in August and to begin building on the excellent start that the consortium has already made."

The Forth Green Freeport officially "opened for business" on 12 June 2024 following approval from the Scottish and UK Governments of its Outline Business Case and the designation of its three tax sites, located in Grangemouth, Rosyth, Mid-Forth (Leith and Burntisland).

The public / private consortium will attract new businesses and new jobs into the FGF area, aided by a suite of financial incentives to deliver major economic and net zero benefits for Scotland as a whole and for the local communities in Fife, Falkirk, Leith and beyond.

Focusing on the key target sectors of offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, modular manufacturing and logistics, FGF will support the re-industrialisation of Central Scotland and large-scale economic regeneration over the next decade.

The consortium is currently developing its Final Business Case which will be submitted to the Scottish and UK Governments later in the summer.