MyGlasgow News

The University of Glasgow is delighted to announce that Professor Mark Logan has been appointed as the Chief Entrepreneur by the Scottish Government. A key commitment in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, the new role will ensure entrepreneurship is embedded in the economy, and that partnerships with industry and investors are prioritised and strengthened.

The Chief Entrepreneur is expected to be in post for an initial term of two years and will act as a senior advisor to the Start-up Nation Programme, which was established to deliver the NSET recommendations on entrepreneurship and the remaining recommendations of the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review (STER). The Chief Entrepreneur will also support the work of the forthcoming Stewart Review of women in enterprise.

While in post, Mr Logan’s remit includes:

• engaging closely with Scotland’s existing community of start-up founders, entrepreneurship programmes and the small business community to ensure that policy development and implementation is strongly focused on meeting the needs of business
• ensuring that entrepreneurship is instilled in the education and skills systems with clear routes established to setting up a business
• supporting increased diversity and inclusion in business start-up and scaling
• acting as a public advocate for the Start-Up Nation Programme
• advising Ministers on an entrepreneurial first approach within the public sector
• advising Ministers on the longer-term structure and focus of the role, based on learning accumulated during the first term

Newly appointed Chief Entrepreneur, Professor Mark Logan said:

“I am looking forward to building upon my existing role with the Scottish Government, working in partnership with our business community to boost entrepreneurialism across the economy. There are so many innovative, creative enterprises across Scotland, and part of the task ahead is to provide the best possible environment in which they can thrive. A still greater opportunity is to free the untapped entrepreneurial potential of our people, and to ensure that every citizen has equal access to that opportunity.”

Prior to joining the University as a Professor in Practice in the School of Computer Science, Mark has been instrumental in the success of multiple start-ups, including as Chief Operating Officer of Skyscanner, one of Europe's most successful technology companies. He is already an adviser to the Scottish Government on technology policy and is the author of the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review.

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First published: 20 July 2022