Neil Donaldson 'moving upstairs' at eponymous timber firm

Timber company James Donaldson & Sons announced a change at the top this week as managing director Neil Donaldson steps down after 25 years in the post.

As of 1 April, Scott Cairns will take over the role with Donaldson as executive chairman, mentoring Cairns to help him deliver further business growth at the 150-year-old firm.

Donaldson, who has seen the Fife-based company grow from a small business into a national player with turnover of about 100 million and some 600 employees, said that as well as attracting good people, businesses needed to plan their successions, and the time was now right for a change.

"Scott is keen and excited about the opportunity this offers and also the challenges he will have to face up to."

Cairns, who has been at the company for 15 years, will be responsible for the overall trading performance of the group.