Entrepreneurial champion Dr Andy Campbell takes over role as long-standing chair steps down

Young Enterprise Scotland has appointed a leading entrepreneur and business support expert as its new chair.

Dr Andy Campbell will begin his new role on 13 March as outgoing chair Bill McDonald steps down, having completed six years in the role.

Andy is a dynamic entrepreneurial leader with a proven track record in founding, leading and growing successful businesses with 25 years experience.

In 1998 he was runner up as Scotland’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and in 2014, he was engaged by Elevator to oversee the delivery of a new, state of the art Centre for Entrepreneurship in Aberdeen, going on to head up the company’s business support programme delivery.

In 2022, Andy became a founding trustee of The Elevator Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting young people with funding at the start of their entrepreneurial journey.

Speaking of his new role at Young Enterprise Scotland, which is a SCIO, he said: “It's an honour to be appointed Chair of Young Enterprise Scotland. I was fortunate to be introduced to enterprise education when I was at high school and it had such a positive impact on my future. The critical work Young Enterprise Scotland carries out in our schools and colleges, from enterprise to financial education, supporting teachers and students, is incredibly transformative. 

“I would like to thank the outgoing chair, Bill McDonald for his dedicated service.”

Outgoing chair Bill McDonald said: “This has been singularly the most rewarding role of my career. Young Enterprise Scotland has supported enterprise and financial education for young people in Scotland for over thirty years, creating business and life skills that have transformed the lives of many. 

“I have had the great privilege to work with talented and supportive trustees over that period for which I am particularly grateful. I would like to thank personally the two CEOs I have worked with, Geoff Leask and Emma Soanes, and the wider Young Enterprise team for their leadership, energy and enthusiasm that has made my term so enjoyable.”

Chief executive Emma Soanes added: “We are delighted to announce Andy as our new chair. As a well-known figure in the business community and with a passion to empower young entrepreneurs, his support will be of immense value for the young people we work with.

“I also want to thank Bill for his tireless work and contribution to Young Enterprise Scotland.”

Young Enterprise Scotland is an accredited national charity that works with volunteers from the business community to deliver a future-proof programme of blended learning that is accessible to all.