New deputy chair at Scottish Natural Heritage

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change Roseanna Cunningham, has appointed Sidney C Patten as the Deputy Chair of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Mr Patten, who was appointed as a Board member on April 1, 2010, will serve until March 31, 2013 and succeeds Keith Geddes who served as Deputy Chair until March 31, 2010.

Mr Patten began his career in the public sector in the Treasury and Audit divisions of Local Government followed by senior management roles in the NHS. He later moved to the private sector with appointments at Chief Executive level for national organisations serving and representing the built environment and marine based operations.

He is a former Chairman of the Scottish Council of National Training Organisations and of a leading mental health charity and has had extensive experience of working with local and national Government.

Mr Patten has been an active and enthusiastic participant in several public/private sector partnership forums including the Best Value Task Force, Sustainability of our Seas Task Force and the Ministerial Working Group for Aquaculture. His commitment in these and related areas was acknowledged in 2006 in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace to recognise those who had made a significant contribution to local and national life in Scotland.

He does not hold any other Ministerial appointments.