Jennifer Young to chair CBI Scotland

Jennifer Young, managing partner of legal firm Ledingham Chalmers, will take over the chair of CBI Scotland in the new year, the business organisation has confirmed. 

Ms Young will step up from vice chair to succeed Keith Anderson, chief executive of ScottishPower, who has held the chair since January 2021.

Working with CBI Scotland director Tracy Black, the two will form CBI Scotland’s first all-woman senior leadership team.

Chair of Ledingham Chalmers since 2012 and managing partner since 2020, Ms Young is an accredited construction law specialist who became a partner at the Aberdeen-headquartered firm in 1999. The firm has ambitious growth plans which recently saw it merge with Inverness practice Anderson Shaw & Gilbert.

On her new appointment Ms Young commented: “We are operating in particularly challenging times. That said, there remains ample potential to deliver a prosperous economic future for Scotland with the support of CBI Scotland in its role as a leading advocate for our talented and driven business community. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Keith Anderson for his support and leadership and relish the opportunity this role presents to lead an organisation crucial for delivering jobs, investment and economic growth, nationwide.”

Ms Black added: “The professional services sector, which includes the legal profession, accountancy, architecture practices and other specialists, accounts for a large proportion of businesses in Scotland, making a significant contribution to the economy. Jennifer brings wide experience of this sector as the managing partner of a growing legal firm. Her experiences working and living in the north-east, a region that will be an important part of Scotland’s economic recovery, will also be invaluable for CBI Scotland members.”