New Chair of CAS
Louisa Macdonell was elected as Chair of Citizens Advice Scotland at the charity’s Annual General Meeting on Friday. She replaces Simon Rennie, who stood down at the end of his three-year term.
Louisa Macdonell said,
“I am delighted to have been elected and look forward to working with the staff and volunteers both at CAS and the whole CAB network. CAS is the biggest advice charity in Scotland and provides an essential service to hundreds of thousands of people every year. It is also one of the most significant players in the Scottish Third Sector and plays a key role in influencing government and other stakeholders. I am keen to do what I can to help the organisation continue its excellent work.”
CAS Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said,
“We are very pleased to have someone of Louisa’s calibre heading our organisation as we move forward. She brings terrific experience from across many sectors of Scottish public life and everyone at the AGM was very impressed with her enthusiasm and vision. I’d like to thank Simon Rennie for steering our Board over the last few years and I look forward very much to working with Louisa as she takes on the role.”
Louisa Macdonell's Biography
Louisa Macdonell is Scotland Director for Business in the Community, where she works with businesses, government and communities to champion responsible business, social mobility, environmental responsibility and community regeneration across Scotland. She brings together executive leadership and substantial non-executive experience, with a career focused on using business as a force for social, economic and environmental good.
She has significant board and advisory experience across the public, private, academic and third sectors. She was a Just Transition Commissioner for Scotland, contributing to national thinking on how Scotland can move towards a net zero economy in a way that is fair, inclusive and rooted in communities. She brings practical insight into business engagement, regional economic development and the social impact of major economic change.
Louisa’s non-executive portfolio includes board roles with Social Investment Scotland and Skills Development Scotland. Through these roles, Louisa contributes to strategic governance, responsible investment, skills development and Scotland’s wider economic resilience. She is also Vice-Chair of the Community Benefit Award Panel for SSE Transmission, supporting decisions that help ensure major infrastructure investment delivers meaningful benefits for communities.
She is Chair of the Institute of Directors in the South of Scotland, supporting business leaders and strengthening connections across the region. She is also Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Edinburgh Business School, where she supports and mentors students and small business owners, with a particular interest in women-led businesses and social enterprises.