Meet the Consultant - Kenneth Macleod
I’m Kenneth MacLeod and I joined SAC Consulting as Senior Consultant and Area Manager in Stornoway at the end of May 2026. Before joining SAC Consulting, I worked as a reporter and producer with BBC Radio nan Gàidheal before moving into local politics, where I worked for Angus MacNeil MP and Alasdair Allan MSP. I spent almost 19 years working for Angus MacNeil, gaining valuable experience supporting communities across the Western Isles.
I was brought up on a croft in South Dell, Ness, on the Isle of Lewis, where we always kept a flock of sheep, mainly Blackface and Cheviot crosses. In 2003 I started my own flock, and today, across a number of crofts, I keep around 50 sheep, including breeding ewes, gimmers and hoggs.
Alongside crofting, I have served as one of the local councillors for the West Side and Ness ward since 2012. In 2022, I was elected Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), a role I continue to undertake alongside my work with SAC Consulting.
From the time I started crofting, I have been a SAC Consulting subscriber at the Stornoway office, and over the years I benefited greatly from the advice, guidance and support provided by the team. It is particularly rewarding now to be in a position where I can offer that same support to the many crofters who subscribe to our services. I am fortunate to be working alongside Mairi, our Technician, and Jane, Consultant, who both have extensive experience and have been an enormous help since I joined the office.
My first few months have focused on familiarising myself with new systems and ways of working. As I settle further into the role, I look forward to getting out and about, visiting crofters across Lewis and Harris, attending local shows, and seeing first-hand how we can continue to support crofters and their businesses.
Outside of my work and council responsibilities, I have been Chairman of the Lewis and Harris Auction Mart since 2011. We are currently preparing for the 2026 sale season, with our first lamb sale taking place on 25 August. Between August and October, we will hold five sales in total. We are extremely fortunate to have such strong support from the crofting community in Lewis and Harris, whose loyalty to the mart has continued year after year. Since the pandemic, we have also seen many young people taking their first steps into crofting, and it is encouraging to see so many of them helping at the mart on sale days and selling their stock through their local market.
Crofting and farming face significant challenges, and in the years ahead we will need to adapt if we are to thrive. While there will undoubtedly be obstacles, there will also be opportunities. As the saying goes, the optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty, while the pessimist sees a difficulty in every opportunity. I believe that positive outlook will be essential as our industry continues to evolve.
I believe one of SAC Consulting and SRUC’s greatest strengths is the breadth of expertise available across the organisation. Whether the subject is sheep, cattle, soils, crops or business management, we have access to specialists who can provide valuable support. It is important that crofters in the islands make full use of that knowledge to help ensure that crofting continues to develop, keeps pace with changing policy and industry trends, and remains sustainable for future generations. Most crofters in Lewis and Harris are part-time and balance crofting alongside other employment, making practical, informed advice all the more valuable.
I am looking forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead, getting to know colleagues across SAC Consulting’s offices throughout Scotland and continuing to develop in my new role. Most importantly, I want to ensure that our team in Lewis and Harris provides the highest standard of advice and service to the crofters and clients we work with every day.
Kenneth Macleod, Senior Consultant and Area Manager, Kenneth.Macleod@sac.co.uk
Posted by SAC Consulting on 18/08/2026
