A development agency formed to drive forward the economy of the north of Scotland has celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), then known as the Highlands and Islands Development Board, was formed in 1965 to reduce the region’s high unemployment rates and bolster its diminishing population.
Five decades on, the group is celebrating the “remarkable transformation” the region has undergone since that time.
HIE now supports the growth of more than 600 businesses and social enterprises across the area, and offers assistance to 44 communities looking to improve their localities.
The group’s efforts have helped oversee a population increase of more than 20%, and since its creation employment levels have risen while unemployment has fallen beneath the national average.
Chairwoman Professor Lorne Crerar, heaped praise on the individuals whose efforts have brought the group success – and outlined his plans to maintain HIE’s progress.
He said: “The hard work of everyone who has worked with us over the past 50 years, along with the ambition of communities and businesses, has helped bring about a remarkable transformation in the region.”
The group now looks to build on the area’s success by investing further in broadband technology, transport connections and development sites.
The agency will also incorporate the region’s picturesque landscapes in an effort to promote the Highlands and Islands as a prime location for business, education and tourism.
This month HIE will welcome delegations from France, Canada, Japan and Spain for an in-depth briefing on the approach the organisation is taking to marine renewable energy.