Although SET is understood to have known about Ms McCormack’s decision to leave since last summer, her successor has yet to be appointed.

The chief executive would normally play a key role in economic regeneration efforts in the aftermath of a jobs cull on the scale announced by NCR last week.

However, SET’s presence on the task force set up to find the best way forward for the city and those NCR employees facing redundancy was taken by its business growth and skills and strategy directors.

A spokeswoman for SET maintained today the lack of a chief executive was not having an adverse effect on the company’s performance.

She said, “The business growth and skills and strategy directors are the people who are very much involved in the task force.

Until the operations director (chief executive) is appointed, Jennifer Craw, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise Grampian, is taking on additional leadership responsibilities for Tayside.

“She was also at the (task force) meeting. It’s business as usual for us.”

SET admitted they had hoped to have someone in place as chief executive by now, but interviews are continuing.

The spokeswoman added, “It has taken us a little bit longer than expected, but every effort is being made.

“Recruitment is still very much under way and interviews are taking place.”

Asked whether a chief executive is necessary if her absence is having no impact on SET’s performance, the spokeswoman would only say, “Every effort is being made to recruit an operations director.”