The appointment is for two years and adds to Mr Walkers' considerable commitments to the engineering industry.

Mr Walker began his engineering life as a trainee with the then National Coal Board, working throughout Scotland before spending two years in South Africa with Anglo American Corp.

He was employed by the Allenwest Group as General Manager of Hazardous Area Switchgear Group and in 1999 led the management buy out of Allenwest Wallacetown. The company was taken over in 2007 by AmpcontrolPry Ltd, an Australian conglomerate. Allenwest Wallacetown is their only European company.

He served three years as President of the Association of British Mining Equipment Companies (ABMEC).

He is a seasoned business traveller in India, China, Russia and South Africa and regularly visits the coal region of the Kuzbass in Siberia. He was recently awarded the OBE in the Queens New Year Honours List for services to export.

Dr Peter Hughes, chief executive of Scottish Engineering said: "We are fortunate in having such a consummate professional as Jim in position as our president. He follows in the footsteps of senior manufacturing executives over a number of years and we have great faith in him."

Mr Walker said: "I am delighted and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as president of such a prestigious organisation as Scottish Engineering. It has been in existence for almost 150 years and I will do my best to promote engineering manufacturing while I am in post."