The new chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce takes up his post today (Monday) at what he describes as a “challenging but exciting time”.
Russell Borthwick takes over from Robert Collier, who retired from the organisation at the end of 2015, and joins the Chamber from his role as managing partner of a global marketing agency network based in Newcastle.
Prior to this he was the regional managing director for Trinity Mirror North East and also founded his own communications consultancy Press Ahead, which he ran for nearly a decade.
He started his career with Aberdeen Journals in a variety of roles in the circulation, marketing, promotions and editorial teams.
A self-described “Aberdeen boy” and a dedicated fan of the Dons, Russell returns to the city after an absence of more than 20 years
“It’s a challenging but exciting time to return to my native North-east, with the Aberdeen region dominating recent headlines,” said Russell.
“I hope to bring some new perspectives and fresh thinking to the challenges facing us, our members and the region as a whole.
“Aberdeen has consistently been among the top five highest-growth cities in the UK and there are exciting opportunities on the horizon for the strategic development of the North-east.
“However ensuring the success of the Aberdeen City Region Deal will require the private and the public sectors to work seamlessly in collaboration and we at the Chamber intend to play our full part in this, helping to stimulate the next cycle of regional economic growth.
“The Chamber has a great membership base and we are a respected voice so this is a great opportunity to reinforce our relevance by demonstrating real leadership, talking up the many positives about business here and delivering actions that contribute to tackling the current issues while positioning the region’s economy strongly for the future.”