The man who led the management/ employee buyout of a Scottish council's bus company, heralding the creation of a multi-national transport group is to chair the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).

Scotland's largest conservation charity has announced that Sir Moir Lockhead is to succeed Sir Kenneth Calman as Chairman who retires from the role in 2015.

NTS says Sir Moir, who lives in Royal Deeside, will lead the Board of Trustees as they set out a new vision and strategy for the charity's long-term future.

A statement said "He brings with him an abundance of business experience gained in a career which has taken him from being a 15 year-old apprentice mechanic to establishing and growing one of the largest and most successful international transport operators."

Sir Moir was born in a mining village in County Durham and first came to Scotland in 1979 to be Glasgow City Transport's Chief Engineer, where he oversaw the final stages of the underground's refurbishment. He joined Grampian Regional Transport as its General Manager in 1985 and led a management and employee buyout in 1989. What ultimately became the Aberdeen-headquartered FirstGroup was floated on the stock exchange in 1994 and, as Chief Executive and Deputy-Chairman, Sir Moir steered it to becoming a multi-national, £6 billion business employing almost 130,000 people.

Sir Moir said:

"Heritage means a great deal to me - I am fascinated by the stories of people and places and how we were all shaped by our environment and our past. I am relishing the chance to join this wonderful charity and to help it discharge its vital roles of caring for and promoting Scotland's legacy to the world."