Entrepreneur Marie Macklin Awarded CBE

An award-winning businesswoman said she feels privileged and proud'' to be recognised in this year's New Year Honours list. Marie Macklin is chief executive of The Klin Group, an entrepreneurial company which works towards economic and social transformation through property development projects. The Ayrshire-based businesswoman scoops a CBE in the 2015 list for her services to economic regeneration and entrepreneurship. She said she was bowled over by the news.

The second-generation family business sees its core function as revitalising land and property and investing in challenging and demanding'' initiatives which help to transform communities. Under her leadership, the group was one of the first private investors in the regeneration of Tollcross in Glasgow, completing several brownfield housing developments which helped to stimulate further third-party investment in the area, a company spokesman said. The company has continued to redevelop brownfield sites throughout Scotland. Ms Macklin herself is a member of the Board of Ayrshire College and Business Patron to Centrestage Music Theatre, an Ayrshire social enterprise arts organisation. In 2013 she received the Association of Scottish Businesswomen's Award for outstanding contribution to business.