A BORDERS-BASED educationalist has taken up a vital role with a regional regeneration body.

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) has welcomed the appointment of two new board members.

SOSE is the development agency for southern Scotland, covering the council areas of the Borders and Dumfries & Galloway.

Scottish Ministers have announced the appointments of Dr Mary Thomson and Rory Christie, who will take up their roles from March 9 for up to four years.

Both bring significant skills and experience to complement those of the existing board members, in particular around land management and farming, and the skills sector.

Dr Thomson is vice principal of skills and lifelong learning at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in Edinburgh, leading on skills provision at all levels from school to postgraduate.

Her previous roles include leading rural skills provision at Borders College and she is originally from a veterinary background.

Raised in the Borders and now living near the village of Gordon, Mary has more than 25 years of experience in the UK veterinary and education sectors including senior roles in industry, policy and education.

She is experienced in leading on widening access and participation in education, Fair Work First and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Mary also led the on the successful 2023 Queen’s Anniversary Prize nomination for SRUC’s veterinary services which specifically referenced the excellence of the livestock health schemes work delivered by SRUC’s specialist facilities.

Rory is a director of the Dourie Farming Company Limited at Port William in Dumfries & Galloway, which is a family business specialising in pastoral dairy and intensive pig production.

The duo will replace Professor Sara Carter and Lindsay McDowell on the SOSE board.

Professor Russel Griggs, chair of SOSE, said: “I am delighted to welcome our two new board members to South of Scotland Enterprise.

“Both Rory and Mary bring different skills and experience to the board, and both have extensive knowledge of the south and therefore know the various exciting opportunities we have in front of us.

“Our new board members assist our work with people, businesses and communities across the South to establish the region as the centre of opportunity, innovation and growth.

“We want the south to be bold, ambitious and different – and I think Rory and Mary will help us advance our journey to achieve this.

“We must also thank both Sara and Lindsay for their significant commitment and contribution to SOSE, with both having been on the board since SOSE was launched on April 1, 2020.

“They both played a vital role in our early days in our support of the south of Scotland during COVID-19 pandemic, and also helped set our strategic direction.”