The chief executive of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce is stepping down from the job after receiving a life changing medical diagnosis.
Sandra Burke tendered her resignation “with deep regret” to the Chamber board this week after seeking advice from her doctors.
The shock departure comes just 15 months after the chartered marketer succeeded Alan Mitchell at the helm of DACC, a body that represents more than 400 members in Dundee and Angus and in excess of 35,000 employees.
Mrs Burke intends to remain with the organisation until a new CEO is appointed, but she does not expect to be in post after the group’s annual meeting in late August.
She told The Courier that her diagnosis had left her with no choice but to concentrate on her health for the forseeable future.
“It is with deep regret that, due to a recent medical diagnosis, I’ve taken the step of resigning from my role as chief executive of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce,” Sandra said.
“I’ve enjoyed the role enormously and it’s particularly disappointing to be bowing out at such a buoyant and exciting time for the Chamber.
“I will continue to watch its progress, and that of the city-region in general, with much interest.
“However, in the meantime and on medical advice, my priority has to be my health and I wish my colleagues and friends at the Chamber every success as they continue to move forward.”
During her tenure at DACC, Sandra has spearheaded development of a new strategic plan for the organisation and helped build its core business membership locally.
She has also overseen a number of high profile events which have put local businesses directly in front of key policy and decision makers at Westminster and at Holyrood, and spoken out on a range of topics affecting companies in Dundee and Angus.
Chamber president Tim Allan said Sandra had proven to be a hugely capable chief executive in her time in charge of DACC and her departure was a major blow.
He said it was ultimately Sandra’s vigour and enthusiasm for the job which had persuaded him to join the chamber board and take up the role of president.
Mr Allan said the board were obviously upset at losing a key member of the chamber team but entirely backed Mrs Burke’s decision and wished her the very best for the future.
“She has made a huge impact,” Mr Allan said.
“She changed the agenda and atmosphere at the Chamber and put it on a much more modern and pro-active footing.
“One of the reason I accepted the position of director on the board of the Chamber was because I liked Sandra and I could see she was really going places.
“She was a real breath of fresh air for the business community and I looked forwared to working with her as president.
“Having been chair of a national charity before, I know that having a chief executive you can rely on to deliver operational efficiency and strategic vision is vital and Sandra has done that in spades.
“Sandra has done a fantastic job of work on repositioning the chamber and starting work on building a young team around here that we hope will part of the evolution of the chamber into a much more relevant organisation for the business community.”
Mr Allan said the job of finding a new CEO for DACC would get under way immediately but he stressed there would be no knee-jerk appointment with the net set to be “cast wide” in order to identify the best possible candidate.