FORMER Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini has been appointed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) as chair of its discipline board.

Dame Elish, who served as Lord Advocate between 2006 and 2011 after five years as Solicitor General, will play a key role in ensuring that the organisation’s disciplinary functions meet the highest standards, ICAS said. The disciplinary board sets policy and procedure relating to functions such as appeals tribunals and the publicity of decisions.

Dame Elish, principal of St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and a visiting professor of law at the University of Strathclyde, succeeds Sheriff Principal James Taylor in the ICAS role. Sheriff Principal Taylor recently stepped down after many years’ service to the accountancy profession in Scotland.

Dame Elish said: “ICAS is an exemplary educator, examiner, regulator and thought leader. I look forward to contributing to the success of another renowned educational establishment, and supporting the important work carried out by the members of the Discipline Panel, the Appeal Panel and the Independent Examiner.”

ICAS chief executive Anton Colella highlighted the “strong legacy” left by Sheriff Principal Taylor and said the appointment of Dame Elish “ensures ICAS has the strongest legal expertise overseeing our disciplinary arrangements.”

He said: “Dame Elish’s capacity to act fairly and in the public interest speaks to the integrity of ICAS. The ICAS discipline board, under the leadership of Dame Elish Angiolini, will ensure ICAS meets the standards expected of us.”