ScottishPower has appointed Willie MacDiarmid, currently Sales and Marketing Director in Energy Supply, as Managing Director of the Company's 183-strong chain of electrical retail shops and superstores.

Mr MacDiarmid, 38, will succeed Alan Jefferson, 61, who is retiring after almost 10 years with the Company. Under Mr Jefferson, the retail division has expanded rapidly throughout the UK to become the third-biggest national electrical retailer.

Mr MacDiarmid, who has spearheaded ScottishPower's highly successful drive into the deregulated gas and electricity markets for the past two years, also has a strong retail background. He joined ScottishPower's retail division as Sales Operations Manager in 1989 after a career with Currys and Clydesdale. He has also completed the Company's prestigious Business Leadership Programme.

Charles Berry, Executive Director Customer Sales & Services, said:

"Alan has done a tremendous job in transforming the business into a UK retail power and Willie, with his wide experience both in retail and in developing business opportunities, is ideally qualified to build on this success.

"Willie is also well suited to expanding the synergies between retail and the marketing of our utility products, such as gas and electricity, while promoting our brand name throughout the UK."

The change is effective from 1 April.

Further Information
ScottishPower Press Office
Colin McSeveny or Gordon Laidlaw,                 0141 248 8200

Note to editors:
ScottishPower's retail chain, stretching from Inverness to Southampton, now has over 5% of the UK "white goods" market and 3% of the "brown goods" sector. Its turnover totalled £274 million in 1997-98.