Under a new council structure consisting of three service clusters, they will each manage a service reporting directly to chief executive Derek Brown.

Kate Lackie has been appointed as assistant chief executive of people - combining health and social care, and education and learning.

Malcolm MacLeod has been appointed as assistant chief executive of place - combining community and place, housing and property, and infrastructure, environment and economy.

Allan Gunn has been appointed as the assistant chief executive of corporate - combining the existing depute chief executive service, performance and governance, and resources and finance.

Convener of the council, Cllr Bill Lobban said: “I am delighted to say that Kate Lackie, Malcolm MacLeod and Allan Gunn have been appointed as assistant chief executives with The Highland Council. I wish them every success in this next stage of their careers with The Highland Council.”

Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner added: “Congratulations to Kate, Malcolm and Allan.

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

Malcolm MacLeod was previously the council’s interim depute chief executive from February to September 2023. In October 2019 he was appointed as executive chief officer - infrastructure and environment. Originally from Stornoway in the Western Isles, Malcolm has been the council’s head of planning and environment for the last seven years and has worked in the Highlands for over 20 years.

Kate Lackie was interim chief executive from February to September 2023, prior to which she was acting depute chief executive (appointed November 2021), and executive chief officer performance and governance (appointed 2019). For over 10 years she was the chief executive’s business manager and parliamentary officer, prior to which she was private secretary to two secretaries of state before relocating to the Highlands to join the council.

Allan Gunn - from Kingussie - was previously appointed as executive chief officer – communities and place in April 2022 having been interim executive chief officer – communities and place since January 2022. Alan’s previous roles included executive chief officer - transformation (from 2020) and chief officer resources (care and learning) from 2019-2020. He was head of service with the council from 2011 – 2019 in three roles of business support, revenues and customer services.