Scottish business champion Mark Logan steps down over ‘right wing’ attacks

In January, Mr Logan defended his salary while speaking to Holyrood’s Economy and Fair Work Committee in January.

Conservative MSP Graham Simpson noted that his “colossal” £200,000 pay packet equated to about £2,000 for each working day, noting it was more than the first minister earns.

Mr Logan said he was not paid for the “majority” of the work he did, telling MSPs he did “an awful lot more” than eight days’ work each month.

He added that £2,000 a day was what junior consultants were paid, whereas he had 30 years’ experience in the tech sector.

The government previously described the chief entrepreneur as “critical” to its National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which aims to establish the country as a “world-class entrepreneurial nation”.

Mr Logan was also said to be an integral part of the government’s Techscaler programme, which provides advice, infrastructure support and education to start-ups.

He had initially been contracted to work for two years until September this year.

Earlier this month, Forbes told the economy and fair work committee that more recently Mr Logan had been “working closely” with Health Secretary Neil Gray to “deliver more innovation in the national health service”.

She expressed her “sincere thanks” for the “exceptional impact” Mr Logan had in the job.

She added: “The end-to-end support we are building for Scotland’s entrepreneurs and start-up businesses continues to attract praise and emulation from some of the most successful start-up economies in the world.”