Council Appoints New Director of Planning and Development

The Highland Council has appointed a new Director of Planning and Development.  He is Dr Stuart Black, Director of Global Connections with Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Dr Black will take up his new post in April. He succeeds John Rennilson, who retired in December of last year.

Dr Black hails from Inverness, having being taught at Central Primary School and Inverness High School.  He graduated from Edinburgh University and gained a PhD in Town and Regional Planning at Glasgow University.

His career began with a firm of chartered surveyors in London and in 1990 he moved to Aberdeen to lecture in land economy at Aberdeen University.  

He returned to Inverness in 1996 to join Highlands and Islands Enterprise as Head of Economics.  In 2000 he was promoted to the post of Director of Strengthening Communities.  Two years later he joined Inverness and Nairn Enterprise as Chief Executive.  Last year, he was appointed Director of Global Connections.

Dr Black is married with three daughters.

He said:  “I am delighted to join the Highland Council at this exciting time in the development of the Highlands. I am looking forward to working with councillors and new colleagues and maintaining The Highland Council’s reputation for being forward-looking and innovative in the planning and development field.