Scotland, and Glasgow, should be proud of Neil MacGregor, the man who has announced he is standing down as director of one of the world's finest cultural institutions, the British Museum, after leading it in exemplary fashion since 2002.

The son of Glasgow doctors, Alexander and Anna, and born in the city in 1946, MacGregor has carved out a glittering career, including leading the National Gallery in London.

A loyal supporter of Glasgow institutions such as the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the Burrell Collection, to which he is an advisor, MacGregor has led a resurgence at the British Museum.

MacGregor, once remarkably described as a "saint" by one former culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, has been a staunch defender of the museum's ownership of the Elgin Marbles, albeit while arranging an historic loan of one of the figures to Russia.

The British Museum is now is the second most visited museum in the world, and has been the most visited museum in the UK for eight years running. Under his watch, numbers have increased from 4.6m in 2002/03 to 6.7m in 2014/15.

This is success by any standard. Now, leaving full time work, he will become an advisor to the German Minister of Culture as well as the CSMVS Museum in Mumbai, India.

Scotland should now make pains to tap into his wealth of knowledge and expertise, too.