Sir Brian Souter in line for ICAS presidency

STAGECOACH founder Sir Brian Souter has been nominated as ICAS vice president, putting the well-known entrepreneur in line to become the institute’s president in 2017.

Sir Brian is the sole nominee of the ICAS Council to become vice-president in April 2015. If elected, it is likely he would succeed current deputy president Jim Pettigrew, and current vice-president Ken McHattie to become ICAS president.

He is one the UK’s best known entrepreneurs having co-founded Stagecoach Group in 1980. The transport business, which he chairs, started with just two buses and now has a market capitalisation of just under £2bn.He was the Group’s Chief Executive until May 2013.

“This is a unique opportunity for me to repay some of the debt I owe to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland for the excellent training I received as a young man and I hope I will be able to encourage more young people to enter the profession,” said Sir Brian.

He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1984 after training with Arthur Andersen in Glasgow.