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SFE appoints new chief executive

Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) has today announced the appointment of Mr Owen Kelly as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr Kelly is currently Director of Communications at the Scottish Government and will take up his new role on 14th January 2008.

In his new role it is expected he will continue the excellent work of his predecessors in building closer relationships between the financial services industry and politicians and other key influencers in Holyrood, Westminster and Brussels. Owen is experienced in representing Scottish interests overseas, having until recently been in charge of the Scottish Government's international relationships.

Announcing the appointment, John Campbell, SFE’s Chairman said: “The Board are delighted to announce Owen’s appointment as the new Chief Executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise. His knowledge and understanding of the political systems in Edinburgh, London and Brussels, and his close familiarity with how governments work, will serve SFE very well in the years ahead. Promoting understanding of the financial services industry in Scotland and its priorities, domestically and internationally, is central to SFE's work on behalf of its members. Owen is the ideal candidate to take this work forward. We look forward to welcoming him to the organization in the New Year.”

Owen Kelly said: “I am really pleased to have this opportunity to work with one of Scotland's most successful and dynamic industries. With its strong membership base, SFE has been very successful in influencing and lobbying decision makers across Europe in recent years. I hope that under my leadership we can build on this in the years ahead. We must continue to promote the industry’s strength in Scotland to the City of London and to international audiences to ensure we are in a good position to capitalize on opportunities when they arise. I am delighted to be joining SFE at such an exciting time."

Owen Kelly

Owen Kelly is 44. He graduated from Edinburgh University with an honours degree in Chinese in 1986.  He joined the civil service in 1987, working at HM Customs and Excise before moving to the Scottish Office where his first job was working on the poll tax. He subsequently served as Private Secretary to the Conservative Minister Lord James Douglas-Hamilton and later was Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister, the Right Honourable Jack McConnell MSP, from 2003 to 2005. From 2005 to May of this year, he led at official level the Scottish Government's international work as well as its communications, becoming full-time Director of Communications immediately after the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2007.

He spent 2 years in the mid nineties in Tokyo, working for the government agency Locate in Scotland (now Scottish Development International), promoting Scotland to Japanese investors as an inward investment destination. From 2001 to 2003, he was in charge of Historic Scotland's properties and commercial operations. 

He speaks Chinese (Mandarin) but he says he has forgotten much of his Japanese.

He is married with 3 children.

SFE’s previous chief executives

Gordon Arthur is currently filling the role of SFE Chief Executive on an interim basis. Gordon is a SFE board member and is the former Director of Corporate Affairs for Standard Life and stepped into the role in August 2007.

Prior to this Andrew Silverman was appointed as Chief Executive on 30 June 2007, however Andrew had to resign from his position on 2 August 2007 due to unforeseen ill health.

SFE’s Chief Executive until June 2007 was Amanda Harvie, who held the position for a four year period.

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