Wick Harbour Authority

Wick Harbour Authority have appointed a new Chair  following the retiral of John Mackay.  Current Board member Robert Silverwood takes up the Chair position with immediate effect.

Robert Silverwood has been a member of Wick Harbour Board for approx 10 years. During this time he has assisted in the growth and development of the harbour from a position of limited usage to the current thriving, commercially viable enterprise.

His professional background is in Social Work and latterly Health and Social Care senior management. Robert retired from his post as Area Manager for NHS Highland 7 years ago. In that role he was responsible for a large workforce, who  worked in settings as diverse as General Hospitals and Home Care, with budget responsibility for £12m per annum. He has a wide ranging experience of personnel related issues. He has acted as project sponsor for a number of refurbishment projects associated with residential care homes. He was at the heart of the redesign process that sought to make best use of our health facilities. This involved extensive and often confrontational consultation with a sceptical public.

Apart from day to day management of a large and complex organisation, he was involved in major tendering exercises, eg for aspects of Care at Home, Residential and Nursing Home Care etc, as well as crisis management/responses to civil emergencies.

Robert`s  role as a Harbour Authority Board member has involved him in a number of projects, including a major upgrade of shoreside facilities for the Marina, the recent refurbishment of the Marina infrastructure. He has contributed to Board oversight of large Harbour infrastructure projects including pier refurbishment and upgrade, heavy lift pad development, etc.

He has been a Board Member throughout the process of attracting and creating the Operations and Maintenance Base now an established part of the harbour’s core business.

Robert`s interest in the harbour is both personal and professional. At a professional level, he is keen to ensure a thriving harbour that generates employment and income for the local community. Wick and the surrounding area has suffered prolonged economic disadvantage. A harbour that supports an industry involved sustainable energy production offers the prospect of long term, high quality employment. This can only be a good thing for our community.

Robert has long enjoyed water based leisure pursuits. He owns a boat berthed at the marina, from where he cruises extensively, ranging from Fair Isle to St Kilda, to the Clyde. He holds the RYA Yachtmaster (Coastal) qualification. He does most of the maintenance on his yacht and enjoys the camaraderie and sense of community at the harbour.

He is a qualified diver and until recently, was an active sea Kayaker, coaching at the highest level.