Kate Forbes MSP

Kate Forbes was appointed as Scottish Government’s Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic in May 2024.

Her portfolio responsibilities include business, industry and manufacturing; economic policy and prosperity; investment and regeneration; infrastructure investment; and entrepreneurship.

Kate is the Scottish Government’s 'Investment Champion' and leads on the government-to-government relationship with the UAE.

Kate is the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency (which includes Dingwall, the Black Isle and the Great Glen).

She is from Dingwall, although she spent part of her upbringing in Glasgow and India. Until she was elected as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016, Kate was employed as an accountant in the banking industry. Prior to that she studied History at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh.

Kate first joined the Government in June 2018, as Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy. She subsequently served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy from February 2020 to March 2023.