THE Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) has hired Mark Laidlaw, who played a key role in bringing events such as a One Direction concert to Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, writes Ian McConnell

Mr Laidlaw will be SECC’s new director of operations. He was most recently director of management services at Scottish Rugby Union.

SECC noted that Mr Laidlaw had, in this SRU role, been responsible for the “development of Murrayfield Stadium as a world-class sporting and events venue”.

In his new role, Mr Laidlaw will be responsible for all operational and logistical aspects and event delivery across the 64-acre SECC campus, which includes the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre itself, the SSE Hydro, and the Clyde Auditorium.

The SECC said Malcolm Close, who would be stepping down from the director of operations position, would continue to be involved in the company and would assume the new role of projects director.