Scottish Government's £192,000 chief entrepreneur salary for eight days work a month branded 'crass'

The new appointment of a Scottish Government business tsar on a six-figure contract for working just eight days a month has infuriated opposition politicians.

Mark Logan, a former boss at online travel firm Skyscanner, has been taken on as “chief entrepreneur” for at least two years.

His £192,000 salary is greater than that of both Scotland’s First Minister and the Prime Minister.

Speaking during his first engagement, meeting artists and business people based at the Inverness Creative Academy, Mr Logan described his role as being “focal point” to help coordinate and develop policy.

He said: “I’ll work with the government and their agencies and our many wonderful entrepreneurs in the country to create the best possible conditions for entrepreneurialism to flourish and, hence, for people to flourish.”

However the scale of his salary has been condemned by opponents amid the the cost of living crisis.

Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said: “People are really concerned about how they’re going to eat, how they’re going to heat their homes – and they’re now being told they’re going to be helped out by somebody working very few days, getting a salary that people can only dream about.

“It absolutely crass. It’s the wrong thing to do and that money should be much better invested in getting entrepreneurs who are actually going to build the economy off the ground.”

The Scottish Government sees its latest appointment as an investment that will reap rewards for the nation.

The salary is said to reflect “the experience, expertise and knowledge” required for the role.

Scottish finance secretary Kate Forbes said: “It’s one of the most exciting announcements, I would say, since the national strategy for economic transformation was published in March.

“I put entrepreneurship front and centre of that strategy because, ultimately, it is Scotland’s citizens with their ingenuity, their innovation, who will drive growth over the next 10 years and Mark’s position will ensure that happens.”

Mr Logan’s appointment will be reviewed in two years time.