The Scottish National Party has appointed former MP and council leader Callum McCaig as its new chief executive, marking the third leadership change in the role within three years. McCaig takes over immediately from Carol Beattie, who stepped down due to personal health reasons following a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee on Sunday. The swift transition comes as the SNP prepares for the 2026 Holyrood election campaign.

McCaig brings significant political experience to the position, having served as leader of Aberdeen City Council, MP for Aberdeen South, and special adviser to two SNP first ministers. His background includes work in the private sector specializing in public affairs and campaigns. In his appointment statement, McCaig described the role as a "great privilege" and paid tribute to his predecessor's work while emphasizing the party's readiness for upcoming electoral challenges.

Beattie had been appointed permanently as chief executive in March, after serving in an interim capacity since October 2024 following the resignation of former Daily Record editor Murray Foote. During her tenure, she oversaw what she described as a transformation of party headquarters ahead of the 2026 election. Beattie expressed gratitude to her colleagues and reaffirmed her commitment to continuing her involvement in the independence campaign despite stepping down from the executive role.

The position has seen considerable turnover since Peter Murrell's departure in March 2023 after nearly 25 years as chief executive. SNP business convener Angela Constance welcomed McCaig's appointment, highlighting his public and private sector experience and expressing confidence in his ability to steer the organization toward electoral success. Both outgoing and incoming executives emphasized their focus on securing victory in 2026 and advancing Scotland's journey toward independence.

Global medical technology company Convatec has announced plans to establish a new flagship research and development hub in Manchester as part of a £500 million investment in the United Kingdom. The FTSE100-listed firm, which specializes in products for chronic wounds, diabetes, urinary incontinence, and stomas, will relocate its R&D operations from Deeside to Bruntwood SciTech's CityLabs 4.0 facility, scheduled to open in 2027. This strategic move represents a significant commitment to the UK's life sciences sector at a time when several other pharmaceutical companies have been shifting investments overseas.

The new Manchester facility will become one of the largest centers in Convatec's global network, spanning 125,000 square feet across seven storeys in the £42 million CityLabs 4.0 building. Located on Hathersage Road facing the Manchester Royal Infirmary, St Mary's and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, the state-of-the-art facility will focus on research in four key therapeutic areas: advanced wound care, ostomy care, continence care, and infusion care. The company cited Manchester's "vibrant life sciences ecosystem, which includes leading universities, hospitals, and research institutions" as the primary reason for selecting the location.

Approximately 200 staff will be employed at the new Manchester hub, with most positions transferring from Convatec's existing R&D operation in Deeside, North Wales, which has served as a major research center since 1996. The company emphasized that no redundancies are planned as a consequence of the relocation and that the Deeside manufacturing site will remain unaffected, continuing to employ around 400 workers. The new Manchester facility is approximately 50% larger than the current Deeside operation and has capacity for up to 250 employees, allowing for future expansion.

Convatec's investment comes as part of a broader $1 billion worldwide R&D commitment, with the UK portion representing nearly half of this global initiative. The company, which generated $2.3 billion in revenue last year, typically allocates approximately 5% of its annual revenue to research and development. The relocation to Manchester positions Convatec to leverage the city's concentration of medical research institutions, including neighboring organizations such as the University of Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, biotech company QIAGEN, and MAC Clinical Research, strengthening its pipeline of new products addressing unmet needs in chronic care.