Alyn Smith, who was a member of the Commons and the European Parliament, has been appointed Minister for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education at Holyrood.
He will succeed Ben Macpherson, who stepped down last week, citing the pressures of ministerial office.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Alyn is one of the most experienced parliamentarians in the UK, having served in both the European and UK Parliaments before being elected as an MSP.
“He has broad international experience and has shown long-term interest in skills, universities and colleges.
“My new Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for post-school learning and development – from protecting free university tuition, expanding apprenticeships and delivering a new national skills plan, to supporting university research and spin-outs, and connecting business with academic institutions to drive innovation and growth.
“Alyn will work closely with Màiri McAllan to drive that agenda, working across government with other ministers and in partnership with industry and the education and skills sectors to deliver for Scotland’s people, communities and businesses.”
Mr Smith studied Law and European Law at the University of Leeds and completed a Masters degree in European Studies at the College of Europe in Warsaw.
After teaching English in India and working with Scotland Europa in Brussels, he qualified as a lawyer and practised commercial law in London and Edinburgh.
In 2002, he joined the office of Richard Lochhead MSP before becoming an adviser to the SNP Group in the Scottish Parliament on European, justice and business policy. He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
He served as Member of Parliament for Stirling from 2019 to 2024 before being elected as the MSP for Stirling in May 2026.
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