FGF officially opened for business last month with a commitment to deliver an ambitious green growth strategy to re-industrialise Scotland, bringing economic and net zero benefits for the country as a whole and the local communities in Fife, Falkirk, Leith and beyond.

Ms Murray is a highly professional leader who brings to the role considerable relevant experience working with multiple layered organisations (public and private sector) developing skills and infrastructure that drive economic activity. She also has considerable stakeholder engagement experience and collaborative successes which are seen as being particularly relevant.

Ms Murray is currently the director of Local London, a sub-regional economic growth partnership of nine London boroughs, and was previously head of regulation for the City of London Corporation (2016-2021).

She spent 16 years working in Brussels in various senior roles, including leading the East of England Brussels Office, Lancashire Brussels Office and as deputy director at the Channel Islands Brussels Office. Ms Murray has also been an executive director of the Thames Estuary Growth Board (2021-2023) and has recently been included on the Net Zero 50 list for 2024.

She will take up her new role as CEO on 27 August 2024.

Welcoming Ms Murray to the role, Dame Susan Rice DBE, chair of Forth Green Freeport, said: “The position of CEO of Forth Green Freeport is core to our success. We conducted a robust recruitment process to ensure that we got the right person for the job and we’re thrilled to have appointed Sarah.

“She brings with her a host of qualities and professional experience which are vital for the role as CEO of the Forth Green Freeport and we’re looking forward to working with her to deliver this exciting long-term programme for Scotland.”

Ms Murray said: “This is an exciting opportunity for me personally and for Scotland to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits, both nationally and for local communities.

“Throughout my career I have gained a wealth of experience of working with multilayered partnerships and I understand the importance of good, transparent stakeholder engagement.

“I am looking forward to getting started in August and to begin building on the excellent start that the consortium has already made.”

Focusing on the key target sectors of offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, modular manufacturing and logistics, FGF will support the re-industrialisation of Central Scotland and large-scale economic regeneration over the next decade. The consortium is currently developing its Final Business Case which will be submitted to the Scottish and UK governments later in the summer.