Space Scotland has appointed Dr Hina Khan as its first-ever executive director, bringing more than 25 years’ of industry experience to the organisation, which is looking to accelerate the sector’s growth and collaboration.
Having previously worked at NASA, the European Space Agency and space-based data firm Spire, she has been concentrating on space for all of her working life.
Space Scotland is an industry-led body is made up of 60 sector companies, as well as academia and government officials. It aims to help the industry achieve a goal of contributing more than £4bn annually to the Scottish economy by 2030.
Glasgow-born Khan said: “Throughout my career, I have helped numerous companies drive forward their ambitions in space technology, so much so that when I was offered the executive director position, I couldn’t have imagined a better fit.
“Understanding space technology can help us conceptualise the bigger picture and how space benefits our everyday life, from agriculture, to the energy that heats our homes to the simple act of making a phone call.
“The space sector in Scotland is a very close-knit community which creates togetherness for businesses across the board, which means that we can connect with the people who make the decisions very quickly to create real and tangible outcomes.”
As well as the executive director role, the cluster manager position at Space Scotland has also been filled by space, health and energy professional Dr Natasha Nicholson, with further roles set to be filled over the coming months.
Funding for these appointments, as well as the other roles in the organisation, has come from Scottish Enterprise, following an initial UK Space Agency grant to formalise the Scottish space cluster through Space Scotland.
Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “As home to around a fifth of all space jobs in the UK, Scotland is a vital part of our growing space sector.
“We have provided funding for Space Scotland because we recognise the important work they are doing to champion space, catalyse investment and create jobs.”
Daniel Smith, director of Space Scotland, also stated: “It’s a testament to the years of voluntary effort put in by all Space Scotland representatives that the organisation has reached a level of maturity where it can secure the funding necessary to attract individuals like Hina and Natasha to support the sector’s needs.
“I’m looking forward to the results of their collaboration with our current chairperson, Craig Clark MBE, and our many members, in addressing sectoral challenges and opportunities.”
Originally named the Scottish Space Leadership Council, Space Scotland was founded in late-2016 by a group of like-minded industry professionals.
The council has welcomed partners from the wider UK sector and organised industry events and consultations that are focused on supporting and enhancing the space proposition for the whole of the UK.
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