The Scottish Cities Alliance, the collaboration designed to pool the resources of Scotland's seven cities, has signalled a shift into "the delivery phase" by appointing a respected local government executive as its new director.

Stewart Carruth, currently deputy chief executive of Stirling Council, replaces Geoff Duke as strategic director of the SCA, which has spent more than two years on an elaborate research and procurement exercise "building a framework for collaboration".

Carruth's role is to "drive and deliver the development of collaborative projects and investment propositions to promote growth and jobs, capitalising on the cities' capabilities and securing maximum impact and delivery of their shared economic aspirations".

The SCA, funded jointly by Scotland's seven cities and the Scottish Government, is soon to announce actions which will demonstrate the value of the £7 million project to the citizens of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Stirling and Perth.

Carruth has previously had leadership roles with Aberdeen City Council and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

He said: "I look forward to working on the various collaborative projects and investment opportunities to maximise the profile of the Scottish Cities Alliance, its member cities and their shared economic aspirations."

Ross Martin, chief executive of the Scottish Council for Development & Industry, said: "Our cities have fantastic potential to ensure a vital contribution to the Scottish economy as centres of innovation, knowledge and creativity, combining the entirety of their assets in physical, social and intellectual capital."