Live Borders appoint new man at the top

Scottish Borders Council’s sporting, leisure and cultural services provider has a new man at the top.

Live Borders has announced the appointment of Jim Hutchison as interim chief executive officer, following the retirement of Ewan Jackson at the end of December after 20 years in the role.

Mr Hutchison brings a wealth of leadership and financial experience.

Originally from Dundee, he moved to the Scottish Borders in 1992 and except for a on- year work secondment to the USA, has been here ever since.

In his younger days he played rugby at Dundee and then Jed Forest after moving to the Borders.

Mr Jackson announced he was stepping down just a week after a radical shake-up of the organisation was endorsed.

Live Borders has come under criticism in recent months amid rising costs and the closure of a number of ageing leisure facilities to allow urgent repairs to be carried out.

Last month members of SBC’s full council endorsed a review into the operation of the charity, with 26 recommendations backed to “secure the future of valued local services”.

A chartered accountant with over 35 years’ experience, Mr Hutchison worked for the Mainetti Group out of Jedburgh for 31 years and held various senior posts including group financial controller and regional managing director for Northern Europe and Africa.

He retired from the full-time roles last year to pursue some other opportunities but remains a board member of Mainetti UK Limited.

Active in a family property development business and a director of Evercharge EV Limited, an electric car charger installation business, Mr Hutchison is also a trustee of the Borders Book Festival and has held posts previously on the boards of St Mary’s School and Longridge Towers School.

The interim appointment comes after Scottish Borders Council agreed an additional £1.5m in financial support to the charity, and as both parties jointly progress a period of transformation and change to ensure that services for the future are sustainable.

Alison Moore, chair of Live Borders, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jim as Interim CEO. His experience and leadership will be a steady hand as we move forwards with the joint work with the council, and begin the full recruitment process for a permanent chief executive officer.”

Mr Hutchison will take up the role of Interim CEO on January 3, 2024.