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³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland's Head of News and Current Affairs, Atholl Duncan, is leaving the corporation to take up a role as Executive Director, UK and Global for ICAS – the professional body for accountants.

Duncan, who has been in charge of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's Scottish news operation since December 2006, will start his new job after overseeing ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland's coverage of the Scottish Election.

He first joined the corporation in 1984 and worked in a variety of senior news roles; leaving to join Scottish Water as Director of Corporate Affairs before returning to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland as Head of NCA in 2006.

In the past four years, he has helped deliver some of the highest audiences for Reporting Scotland in the last decade and driven up audiences for online news from 800,000 to 2.3 million. He also oversaw a period of increased audience satisfaction and reach for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News in Scotland and was instrumental in creating an award-winning investigations unit.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Scotland Director, Ken MacQuarrie, paid tribute to Duncan's commitment and professionalism: "Atholl has played a key role in delivering high quality journalism for our audiences, however they choose to consume it. Under his stewardship, our news team has won a string of awards and we wish him well in his new role."

Atholl Duncan said: "It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's journalism in Scotland. This has been a period during which the news team has delivered significant improvements in our coverage. Audience figures have increased and audience satisfaction has improved. Our ambition is to deliver the best journalism in the world. Over the past four and half years we have taken significant steps towards that ambitious goal."

Following Duncan's departure, John Boothman will become Acting Head of News and Current Affairs until the role is filled on a permanent basis.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Press Office