Lews Castle College appoints Archie Macdonald as new chairman

Archie Macdonald has been appointed chair of the management board.

Archie brings a wealth of experience from senior management roles across a broad range of sectors including finance, business management and development.

Archie joined the board of LCC UHI in the autumn of 2018 as chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

He was appointed vice-chair of the board in December 2019.

He was appointed as Chair in September 2020 by the University of the Highlands and Islands following an open recruitment campaign.

Archie said: ‘It is a genuine privilege to be asked to take on the role of chair of Lews Castle College.

“As I know from personal experience, the college provides a critically important service to the Outer Hebrides and makes a significant contribution to the social and economic development of the region.

“I look forward to working with the very talented team at the college and the dedicated members of its board in further enhancing that contribution.’

Archie was born and raised in Stornoway.

He attended business college in Aberdeen before working in a local chartered accountancy practice, local authority finance department and then with a local builders’ merchants and hotels group before joining Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Archie left HIE after 33 years, latterly as Area Manager for the Outer Hebrides, before taking up a pan-Highlands and Islands post within HIE developing and delivering major community broadband projects in remote and rural areas.

He is currently a self-employed business consultant assisting local organisations and businesses to raise project finance from various sources.

Archie is a member of the Institute of Financial Accountants and also serves as a non-executive director on the boards of the Stornoway Port Authority and Garenin Trust.

Lews Castle College Principal Sue Macfarlane said: “We are delighted to welcome Archie as the new Chair of our Board of management.

“He brings a huge range of experience to the Board and we very much look forward to the positive role that he and the board can bring to the college and our role to support the local community, particularly in these challenging and changing times.”