Hearts appoint Andrew McKinlay as Ann Budge vows 'my work is far from over'
- Published
Andrew McKinlay previously served on the Scottish FA board
Hearts have appointed Andrew McKinlay as their new chief executive, with Ann Budge continuing as chair.
Budge had been combining both positions since her takeover at Tynecastle six years ago.
But with a supporters group in line to take over majority ownership, she insisted the roles be separated "in the interests of strong governance".
McKinlay was previously a Scottish FA board member and was recently chief executive at Scottish Golf.
He spent six years at the SFA as chief operating officer and stood in as interim chief executive when Stewart Regan left his post in 2018.
"I could not be more delighted to join Hearts," said McKinlay, who resigned from his Scottish Golf post in April. "I am looking forward to working with everyone at Tynecastle and Oriam to deliver success both on and off the pitch for many years to come."
Budge, who rescued the club from administration in 2014, along with fans' organisation Foundation of Hearts, added: "My work here is far from over", explaining that she will now focus on "longer-term strategic planning decisions".
She also said McKinlay's appointment is "the first of a number of planned changes at board level as we move into the next exciting stage of our development."