McAllan appoints interim HES chair after Mark Jones's exit

Mr Hinds took up the role on 13 July 2026 and will serve up to one year as Interim Chair.

As Interim Chair, he will work closely with Board members and staff across the organisation to support the delivery of HES's priorities and help strengthen its culture, governance and leadership, the statement added.

Mr Hinds is the former Chief Executive of Fife Council and has held a number of senior public appointments since retiring in 2013.

Most recently, he served as Interim Chair of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, where he played a key role in addressing significant organisational challenges. 

Mr Hinds said: "HES is responsible for the oversight of some of Scotland’s most iconic places and national treasures, its staff bring impressive expertise and dedication to the maintenance of over 300 properties in their care, to the benefit of the people of Scotland and international visitors. 

“Such responsibilities need to be matched by the highest standards of governance and behaviour by those charged with leading the organisation. 

"I am honoured to be invited by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic to play a part in ensuring that these standards are met. As Interim Chair, I look forward to working with Board members and the staff of HES to deliver the changes and improvements identified in the recent independent review of organisational culture and structure.” 

Mr Hinds does not hold any other public appointments. 

Sir Mark is leaving his role as chair of Historic Environment Scotland just nine months after his appointment to the four year post by the previous culture secretary Angus Robertson.

Hopes were high that Sir Mark, who managed to turn around the fortunes of the British Museum after a theft scandal, would help put HES on a calmer footing after a series of crisis and negative press reports relating to the alleged behaviour of senior figures in the organisation.

However, The Herald revealed in April that the 75-year-old trouble-shooter told the organisation then of his wish to stand down.

But he was persuaded to stay on in post until after the Holyrood election in May.

Read More:

• Sir Mark Jones 'preparing to step down' as HES chair
• HES: Long-running grievance probe into chief now over
• Who is Sir Mark Jones, chair of Historic Environment Scotland?
• HES chair Sir Mark Jones quits after less than a year

Sir Mark's successor Mr Hinds will be the third chair of HES in just over a year after his predecessor Dr Hugh Hall quit at the end of last August while the organisation's chief executive Katerina Brown was on long term sick leave.

Ms Brown was later suspended before returning to work after Sir Mark's appointment last September.

Sir Mark Jones, Chair Historic Environment Scotland appearing before the Scottish Parliament's Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee to give evidence on their finances in October 2025. (Image: Andrew Cowan)

She had been under investigation after all seven HES directors submitted a grievance complaint against her. In April The Herald revealed that the investigation had been completed and the HES board decided to take no disciplinary action against her.

In December, Scotland's public spending watchdog told HES it must address "unacceptable weaknesses" in its governance in a strongly critical report.

Auditor General Stephen Boyle found the heritage body had issues with procurement, data breaches, problems with complimentary tickets to events and no formal register of interests for its leadership team in an annual audit.

Mr Boyle said there had been allegations of a toxic workplace culture, which needed to be fully investigated and addressed.

Last month, a culture and organisation review, conducted by former Dundee City Council chief executive, David Martin, recommended a significant overhaul of management at HES.

While Mr Martin praised the work of HES’s 1,600 civil servants, he added: “There is no doubt that in recent years organisational performance and strategic focus have not been well served by a combination of unproductive relationships between the HES Board and senior executives, a lack of joint visible leadership and limited collective accountability.”

HES is an arms-length public body, which receives around £74m in Scottish Government funding and looks after more than 300 historic and environmental sites, including Edinburgh Castle and Skara Brae on Orkney.

Read More:

• What's behind Sir Mark Jones' resignation as chair of HES?
• Angus Robertson clarifies HES evidence after email leak
• HES: Pressure on Robertson over 'meltdown' as email leaked

 At the time of his appointment, Sir Mark said it was “an honour” to take up the role.

Within a month, he was infront of Holyrood’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee to take questions from MSPs about the crisis within the organisation.