Richard Lochhead

Richard Lochhead
Lochhead in 2025
Minister for Business and Employment
Assumed office
29 March 2023
First MinisterHumza Yousaf
John Swinney
Preceded byIvan McKee
Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work
In office
20 May 2021  29 March 2023
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byTom Arthur (2024)
Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science
In office
4 September 2018  20 May 2021
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
Preceded byShirley-Anne Somerville
Succeeded byJamie Hepburn
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment
In office
17 May 2007  18 May 2016
First MinisterAlex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon
Preceded byRoss Finnie
Succeeded byFergus Ewing
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Moray
Assumed office
27 April 2006
Preceded byMargaret Ewing
Majority3,164 (7.7%)
Member of Parliament
for North East Scotland
In office
6 May 1999  19 April 2006
Preceded byNew parliament
Succeeded byMaureen Watt
Personal details
Born
Richard Neilson Lochhead

(1969-05-24) 24 May 1969
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Political partyScottish National Party
SpouseFiona Lochhead
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Stirling
OccupationOffice manager; Economic development officer
Websitewww.richardlochhead.org

Richard Neilson Lochhead (born 24 May 1969) is a Scottish politician serving as the Minister for Business and Employment since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he served as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment from 2007 to 2016. He rejoined government in 2018 and has served in a series of junior ministerial posts since. Lochhead has been a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 1999, first representing North East Scotland electoral region from 1999 to 2006, before representing the Moray constituency since 2006.