New man at the top of sportscotland

Mr Young, who has a background in using sport to drive social change and improve lives, said:“I am delighted to be appointed sportscotland’s next chair and really excited about starting this new role.

“sportscotland’s partnerships with local authorities, governing bodies of sport, clubs and other organisations, coupled with Scottish Government and National Lottery investment, has produced a very impressive system right across community, club, and performance sport.

“My experience accumulated over three years as sportscotland’s vice-chair and seven years on the board has given me a strong understanding of the power of sport and its capacity to improve people’s lives not only by making us healthier and more active but also by developing social skills, encouraging inclusivity, and providing inspiration.

“sportscotland’s current chair, Louise Martin, is an incredibly influential figure in Scottish sport who has done a terrific job over the previous eight years, and I look forward to helping sportscotland and the sector maintain its momentum as we build a world-class system for all.”

Mr Young is president and founder of the Homeless World Cup, an organisation established to use sport as a mechanism to create change. He is a globally recognised social entrepreneur who co-founded The Big Issue in Scotland in 1993, the International Network of Street Papers (INSP) in 1995 and Social Entrepreneurs Network Scotland (Senscot) in 1999.

He is also a Fellow of the Schwab Foundation of the World Economic Forum and a Senior Ashoka Fellow - both international organisations that bring together leading social entrepreneurs.