What Does Highlands and Islands Enterprise Do?

Total employees317
HeadquartersInverness
Founded1991

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is an ambitious organization with a unique remit from the Scottish Government to lead economic and community development across a diverse and expansive region covering more than half of Scotland. HIE's purpose is to generate sustainable and inclusive economic growth in every part of the Highlands and Islands, particularly focusing on businesses with growth potential, strengthening communities, developing skills, and supporting key sectors like food and drink, tourism, creative industries, energy, and life sciences. They work to make the region a more competitive and attractive place to live, work, study, invest, and visit.

Where Is Highlands and Islands Enterprise's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The headquarters houses key strategic functions including executive leadership, policy development, corporate services (finance, HR, IT), communications, and central coordination for HIE's network of area offices and regional development activities.

Notable Features:

Located within the Inverness Campus, a modern, multi-stakeholder environment designed to foster collaboration between business, research, and academia. The building itself is contemporary and designed with sustainability in mind, reflecting the forward-looking nature of HIE's work.

Work Culture:

The work culture at HIE's headquarters is mission-driven, professional, and collaborative, reflecting its public sector ethos. Employees are focused on delivering tangible benefits to the region, fostering innovation, and supporting sustainable development. There's a strong emphasis on partnership working, both internally and with external stakeholders.

HQ Significance:

The Inverness headquarters serves as the nerve center for HIE's operations, directing efforts to build a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable regional economy. Its location on the Inverness Campus underscores HIE's commitment to innovation, knowledge exchange, and growth in high-value sectors.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters reflects HIE's values of collaboration (being part of a shared campus), innovation, sustainability (modern, energy-efficient building), and commitment to the future growth and development of the Highlands and Islands.

Location:

While Highlands and Islands Enterprise's primary mandate is the economic and social development of Scotland's Highlands and Islands, it actively supports businesses in the region to trade internationally and attracts inward investment. This involves fostering global connections through Scottish Development International (SDI) and other partners, supporting export activities, and promoting the region as a prime location for business, talent, and sustainable investment on an international stage. Key sectors with international reach include food and drink, renewable energy, tourism, and niche manufacturing.

Street Address:

An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus

City:

Inverness

State/Province:

Highland

Country:

Scotland, UK

Where Else Does Highlands and Islands Enterprise Operate Around the World?

Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland

Address: Market House, 14 Market Street, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0JP

To foster sustainable economic growth, create and retain jobs, and enhance community resilience in Shetland, leveraging its strategic maritime location and natural resources.

Stornoway, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

Address: James Square, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2QN

To strengthen the diverse island economy of the Outer Hebrides, support community development, preserve cultural heritage, and capitalize on opportunities in renewable energy and the marine economy.

Fort William, Highland, Scotland

Address: The Enterprise Centre, Roshven House, Fassifern Road, Fort William, PH33 6AP

To drive economic activity and diversification across Lochaber, Skye, and Wester Ross, enhancing its reputation as a leading tourism destination while developing other growth sectors and supporting remote communities.

Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland

Address: Orcadia House, 39a Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN

To build on Orkney's strengths in innovation and sustainability, supporting community wealth building and the transition to a net-zero economy, while preserving its unique cultural and natural heritage.

Buying Intent Signals for Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Highlands and Islands Enterprise? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Highlands and Islands Enterprise' leadership includes:

Stuart Black - Chief Executive
Martin Johnson - Director of Strategy and Regional Economy
Helen Lieberman - Director of Business Growth and Global Footprint
Kateryna McKim - Director of Regional Capabilities (Interim)
Keith Lilley - Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Who's Investing in Highlands and Islands Enterprise?

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Scottish Government

What Leadership Changes Has Highlands and Islands Enterprise Seen Recently?

Hire2
Exits1

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has experienced some key leadership transitions over the past 12-18 months, including a significant retirement and new appointments to helm strategic directorates focusing on business growth, global footprint, and regional capabilities.

Departures

Carroll Buxton, Carroll Buxton retired from her role as Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regional Development after many years of service.

New Appointments:

Helen Lieberman, Helen Lieberman was appointed to the new role of Director of Business Growth and Global Footprint.
Kateryna McKim, Kateryna McKim took on the role of Interim Director of Regional Capabilities.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byHighlands and Islands Enterprise?

Discover the tools Highlands and Islands Enterprise uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Email Formats and Examples

Highlands and Islands Enterprise primarily uses the firstname.lastname email format. This is a common structure for public sector organizations in the UK, ensuring a degree of standardization and ease of contact.

firstname.lastname@hient.co.uk

Format

stuart.black@hient.co.uk

Example

90%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Highlands and Islands Enterprise?

hie.co.ukMay 21, 2024

Highlands and Islands Enterprise News: Spaceport Sutherland funding partner confirmed

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has welcomed confirmation that Orbex has secured a funding agreement with the UK Space Agency to enable the first vertical rocket launch from Spaceport Sutherland....more

hie.co.ukMay 15, 2024

Highlands and Islands Enterprise News: Funding will create new jobs and expand Sutherland business

Migdale newton Ltd, a family-run business in Bonar Bridge, is set to expand and create up to four new jobs, with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The company produces high-welfare, sustainable game and venison products....more

hie.co.ukApril 24, 2024

Highlands and Islands Enterprise News: HIE marks a decade of Wave Energy Scotland

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is marking the tenth anniversary of Wave Energy Scotland (WES), a world-leading programme that has put Scotland at the forefront of international efforts to develop commercially viable wave power....more

Highperformr's free tools for company research

Explore Employees by Region or Country

See where a company’s workforce is located, by country or region.

View Funding Details

View past and recent funding rounds with amounts and investors.

Understand Revenue Insights

Understand company revenue estimates and financial scale.

Track Active Job Openings

Track active roles and hiring trends to spot growth signals.

Review Product and Offerings

Discover what a company offers—products, platforms, and solutions.

Get SIC or NAICS Codes

Get the company’s official SIC and NAICS classifications.

Analyze Website Traffic Trends

Analyze visitor volume, engagement, and top traffic sources.

Discover Social Profiles and Engagement

Explore LinkedIn, Twitter, and other active social profiles.

Identify Top Competitors

Identify top competitors based on similar business traits.

Research and Discover Companies with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster

Explore companies in depth — from the tech they use to recent funding, hiring trends, and buyer signals — all in one powerful view.

Highperformr AI helps you surface the right accounts and enrich your CRM with verified company and contact insights, so your teams can prioritize and engage faster.

  • Track intent signals to find buyers who are actively in-market
  • Enrich contacts and companies instantly, no need to switch tools
  • Automate workflows to stay ahead of every change
  • Connect your CRM & tools for seamless data sync and activation

Thousands of companies, including Highlands and Islands Enterprise, are just a search away.