John Swinney must work “tirelessly” with businesses to make growing the economy the “defining priority” of his Government, the industry has warned.
CBI Scotland said the First Minister is now in a “race against time” to deliver economic growth amid a near £5 billion budget black hole facing the country by the end of the decade.
The business group said the SNP leader must work with other parties and with firms to go “full throttle” on growth.
CBI Scotland has published a five-point plan to “fire up” Scotland’s economy and put it “firmly back on a path to prosperity”.
The group has called for the “broken” business rates system to be reformed as it warned the current system penalises investment and growth.
It wants planning reform to fix the “cumbersome” system that has become “one of the biggest brakes on economic growth” and has led to too many projects “waiting in the wings”.
CBI Scotland also called on the Scottish Government to close the tax and regulatory gap between the rest of the UK “to make Scotland a more attractive place for talent and investment” and to “even the playing field” with rivals elsewhere in Britain.
The group said the Government must also commit to “transformative infrastructure” projects such as the Clyde Metro and full rail electrification to “get Scotland moving again”.
It has also called for a national skills strategy and reform of the apprenticeships levy to make the skills system better suited for future demand, “instead of year-to-year firefighting”.
The calls come ahead of CBI Scotland’s annual business lunch, where Mr Swinney will speak alongside businessman Sir Tom Hunter.
Michelle Ferguson , CBI Scotland director, said: “Our message to the new Scottish Government, and to new and returning MSPs, is a simple one: against a backdrop of rising costs and global volatility, growth really is the ‘only game in town’ – so it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get on with it.
“That means using every lever available to boost productivity and unlock vital investment. Business stands ready to play its part, but urgency is key.
“We can’t afford to sit on our hands, or we risk a worsening fiscal position and the potential for great commercial opportunities to slip through our fingers.
“Yet, for all of the challenges that Scotland faces, the country stands on the edge of huge opportunity - there aren’t many small economies that can boast our talent, innovation and knowhow.
“By backing our people and businesses, we can turn that economic promise into the kind of tangible, on-the-ground delivery that can transform lives and communities across the country.
“Realising that potential doesn’t just mean doubling down on legacy strengths. It means being clear-eyed about the opportunities of the future and staking our claim in the innovative, high-value industries that are powering global growth - areas like AI, life sciences and the energy transition.”
First Minister John Swinney said: “I am delighted to attend the CBI event today – my first formal engagement since being sworn in as First Minister – to outline that achieving higher levels of sustainable economic growth is foundational for my Government.
“So much else that we want to achieve, from further reducing child poverty to investing in modern, responsive, flexible and citizen-centred public services, depends on increasing our collective national wealth.
“The Cabinet and ministerial team that I have appointed sends a very clear signal of my intention in this area.
“The Government I lead will use all the levers at our disposal to ensure Scotland has the resources, ambition and people to succeed.”
