Governance and leadership
Our Board of Commissioners
The Board provides strategic direction and oversight of the Commission’s work and holds the organisation to account for its performance.
Board members
The people behind our work
Board members are appointed by Scottish Ministers and bring experience from across public policy, rural business, investment, science, agriculture, community development and sustainable land use.
Michael Russell
Chair
Rob Black
Tenant Farming Commissioner
Dr. Craig Mackenzie
Land Commissioner
Professor Deb Roberts
Land Commissioner
Dr Lucy Beattie
Dr Calum MacLeod
Hamish Trench
Chief Executive & Accountable Officer
Kathie Pollard
Head of Policy
Uwe Stoneman
Good Practice Adviser – Land Rights and Responsibilities
Karen Grant
Good Practice Adviser – Land Rights and Responsibilities
How decisions are made
Board governance
The Board operates in line with its Standing Orders, which set out how meetings are conducted and how decisions are made.
Board members are also required to declare and manage any interests that could be perceived to influence their role. These are published in the Register of Interests.
Supporting openness and accountability
Board meetings
The Board meets formally ten times a year to set strategic direction, review performance, and oversee delivery of the Commission’s statutory functions.
Board meetings are held in public to support openness and transparency. Agendas are published in advance, and minutes are made available after each meeting.
If you would like to attend a Board meeting, please contact us in advance.
Audit and Risk Committee
Oversight of risk and public funds
The Audit and Risk Committee supports the Board by providing assurance on risk management, internal controls and governance arrangements. It also oversees the effective and proper use of public funds.
The Committee is made up of two Commissioners and independent external members, bringing additional expertise and scrutiny.
Fair and transparent pay arrangements
Staffing and Remuneration Committee
The Staffing and Remuneration Committee oversees pay, grading and remuneration arrangements for staff, ensuring these are fair, transparent and aligned with public sector standards.
The Committee is made up of the Board of Commissioners.
Transparency and accountability
We are committed to being open about how we work and how we use public funds.
For details of our financial statements, Section 31 expenditure, FOI and publication scheme, and our complaints procedure, visit our dedicated Transparency page.