As previously intimated in Highland Council’s budget plan, a new senior management structure is being implemented following approval by the council on 14 March 2024. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.

Jon Shepherd, Brian Porter, Stewart Fraser and Sheila Armstrong have been appointed as chief officers with The Highland Council.

Convener of the council councillor Bill Lobban said: “Congratulations to Jon, Brian, Stewart and Sheila on their appointments to chief officers.

“I am sure that they will provide a sterling addition to the Council’s Corporate service.”

Leader of the council councillor Raymond Bremner added: “In this latest round of appointments I am pleased to see the council’s senior management structure progressing with continued pace.

“The new structure will initially deliver savings of £310,000, as part of the budget savings agreed by council in February, and it is anticipated that savings will eventually equate to around 20% of senior management team costs as part of a more streamlined management structure.”

Under a new council structure consisting of three service clusters ‘People’, ‘Place’ and ‘Corporate’ – Jon Shepherd, Brian Porter, Stewart Fraser and Sheila Armstrong join the corporate service cluster under the leadership of Allan Gunn, assistant chief executive – corporate.

Brian Porter has been appointed as chief officer – corporate finance. He was the council’s interim head of corporate finance since March 2023, and was the council’s head of resources from 2014 onwards. Prior to that working in a range of finance roles in the council. Mr Porter lives in Inverness, is a Qualified Accountant, and has worked for the council for 35 years.

Sheila Armstrong has been appointed as chief officer – revenues and commercialisation. Born in Sutherland, Ms Armstrong was previously head of revenues and customer services, and has held several management positions with the council, including being a committed member of the Sutherland area management team for 6 years.

Jon Shepherd has been appointed as chief officer – business solutions. He is currently the council’s head of ICT and digital transformation, leading the project to bring ICT services in-house. He has lived in the Highlands since 1991 and has worked for Highland Regional Council as a project officer before taking up a role as geographical information systems manager in The Highland Council in 1996.

Stewart Fraser has been appointed as chief officer – legal and corporate governance. Mr Fraser has been head of legal and democratic with the council since 2012 prior to which he was the council’s legal manager – litigation and advice from 2008. He has worked in various Legal roles for Highland Council and Highland Regional Council as a solicitor since 1994.