Exclusive:Revealed: The allegations against suspended Historic Environment Scotland CEO Katerina Brown
Katerina Brown was suspended just months into the role as CEO of Heritage Environment Scotland over these allegations
The chief executive of a scandal-hit heritage quango was suspended over claims she had created a “blame culture”, regularly cancelled meetings and been responsible for “gaslighting” other senior leaders, it can be revealed.
An investigation into the conduct of Katerina Brown was sparked just months after she took on the senior role at Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
Ms Brown, who was brought in with a mandate to modernise and change the organisation, was in post for seven months before taking leave due to sickness. She was then suspended from work in September, but brought back weeks later to sign off HES’s annual accounts.
The Scotsman can now reveal the substance of the allegations against her, put to HES in a collective grievance submitted by seven directors.
Complaints were lodged about Ms Brown’s professional standards in the role just one week after the former chair, Dr Hugh Hall, was informed by the Scottish Government he would not be appointed for a second term.
The Scotsman has seen documents related to Ms Brown’s suspension that show complaints were made about her “inconsistent and unprofessional manner”.
In a grievance lodged on behalf of the group of seven by union Prospect in May, concerns are raised that Ms Brown “displays a lack of leadership and openness in relation to staff”.
As evidence of this, the directors’ complaint said Ms Brown took credit for the organisation’s successes and ordered her office staff to raise her profile in what was described as a “cult of the personality”.
The grievance letter reads: “She has deliberately delayed or obfuscated decision making in order that ‘at the last minute’ she can intervene in a project and appear to have been the arbiter of success. This utterly undermines collegiality, and makes strategic planning and resource allocation in relation to strategic goals next to impossible to achieve.”
The grievance adds: “The CEO’s office now restricts access to the CEO’s diary and, taken alongside very last-minute cancellations for events both with staff and external stakeholders by the CEO, has created a lack of trust and confidence in her behaviours.”
The grievance says staff are experiencing “uncertainty and stress” due to changes in HES and Ms Brown’s late cancellation of some meetings “have simply added to staff issues”.
It adds: “The conclusion of both the members in this collective grievance and of Prospect is that we have no trust and confidence in the CEO’s ability to either create a consistent strategic plan, or to lead staff in the delivery of any such plan.
“Her behaviours mean that the ELT [executive leadership team] is barely functional. The organisation is left rudderless at a critical time.”
The letter also complains that Ms Brown has created a “blame culture” at HES, which has “tarnished” the professional reputations of those submitting the grievance.
“When put together with the creations of external narratives ... this is tantamount to gaslighting of those involved in this grievance at a significant scale,” the letter states.
The directors who submitted the grievance include Stephen Duncan, who faced questions over his use of Edinburgh Castle resources after allegedly taking staff for a boozy lunch at the castle that was not paid for.
Mr Duncan is also accused of taking his wife for a three-course meal at the castle’s upmarket dining room and having paid just £30.
Craig Mearns is also part of the collective grievance. Mr Mearns was at the centre of a racism row, having been accused of referring to visitors at Edinburgh Castle as “chocolates” and to French people as “cheese eating surrender monkeys”.
The grievance goes on to criticise Ms Brown’s integrity, honesty and leadership.
Insiders say the quango is riven with divisions and staff groups have split into ‘Team Hugh’ and ‘Team Kat’.
Dr Hall stepped down as chair in September, having been told he would not be reappointed.
Since then, a raft of allegations have been made about various directors and senior staff, including that one senior manager twerked in front of actor Martin Compston at an event at Edinburgh Castle.
Culture secretary Angus Robertson is facing increasing calls to step in and take meaningful action to resolve the culture problem at the quango.
A HES spokesperson said: "For confidentiality reasons, we are unable to comment on any individual personnel matters or any issues that may or may not be subject to ongoing internal processes.
“Multiple formal investigations are currently underway, and it is essential that these are allowed to proceed through the appropriate channels rather than being prejudged in the public domain. As a public body, we have established procedures for reviewing concerns, and where appropriate, these are addressed in accordance with our governance and HR policies.
“We are engaging constructively with Audit Scotland as part of the forthcoming Section 22 review, which provides an independent and formal route for examining issues relating to governance, culture, and accountability. Any relevant matters will be considered as part of that process."
Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr has been pushing the Scottish Government to intervene in HES.
He said: “What we are seeing is not a series of isolated incidents – it is the consequence of years of neglect, weak leadership and ministerial indifference.
“The organisation is now in open turmoil, with senior figures briefing against each other and conflicting accounts emerging almost daily. HES cannot be repaired with another internal review or another closed-door explanation from the same people who created this mess.
“What is needed now is a fully independent external investigation, with the authority to examine governance, culture, leadership and ministerial oversight.
“And let me be clear – the senior leadership and the organisational culture at HES must be overhauled. Nothing less will restore public confidence.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “It is critical and in the interests of all parties that the independent investigations currently underway at HES are allowed to conclude in a fair and reasonable way.
“As outlined to Parliament, HES' new chair Sir Mark Jones has the Culture Secretary's total support to take any actions necessary following the outcome of these investigations. This includes the recent appointment of two new interim board members and recruitment for an interim chief operating officer.
“Scottish Government officials are working closely with HES to ensure the organisation has capacity to deal with the challenges it currently faces while frontline staff continue to deliver the essential and valued work HES performs in communities across the country.”
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