THE chair of scandal-struck heritage body Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced he will step down after just nine months in post.

Sir Mark Jones took the reins at the Scottish government quango, responsible for hundreds of historic properties, including Edinburgh Castle, last year as it reeled from allegations of racism and misconduct.

Just one month into his tenure, Sir Mark was forced to appear before Holyrood culture committee to be questioned on how the organisation was dealing with allegations of racist conduct, corruption and damaging media reports that a senior leader in the organisation had to be sanctioned after allegedly “twerking” in front of actor Martin Compston and upsetting model Penny Lancaster at an Edinburgh Castle event in 2023.

Noting that the organisation faced “allegations of a toxic workplace culture which needs to be fully investigated and addressed,” auditor general Stephen Boyle launched a Section 22 probe into HES.

In his December 2025 report, he noted HES had “operated without a chief executive or accountable officer for almost six months in 2025,” arguing: “The Scottish government should have appointed a substitute accountable officer to provide the necessary leadership and accountability in accordance with ministerial guidelines.”

Pointing out that “auditors reported weaknesses in the financial management of electronic purchasing cards and hospitality,” Mr Boyle slammed “unacceptable weaknesses in HES’s governance” that put the organisation at “risk of fraud.”

Speaking at the time, Sir Mark had accepted the “serious governance issues and cultural problems identified” in the report, citing “impact of recent leadership instability.”

Now just seven months on, HES has announced it was on the hunt for a new chair after Sir Mark announced he would step down in a statement reading: “Sir Mark Jones remains chair of Historic Environment Scotland and will continue in the role until a successor is appointed to ensure a smooth handover.

“We are grateful for Sir Mark’s leadership and commitment to HES during a challenging period for the organisation.”

Paying tribute to Sir Mark’s efforts to stabilise the quango during his brief tenure, culture secretary Màiri McAllan said: “The Scottish government is grateful to Sir Mark for his service. 

“During a period of significant scrutiny and change, he has provided strong leadership.

“We appreciate his commitment and the valuable contribution he has made.”