On the day Wendy Alexander was crowned leader of the Scottish Labour Party, she became embroiled in a row over "fat cats" being appointed to advise the party.

She sparked criticism from the left wing after asking senior businessman Patrick Macdonald to advise on reforms, help reorganise the party and prepare it to become more independent of London headquarters.

Mr Macdonald, the former chief executive of John Menzies, got to know Ms Alexander, a former business consultant, through the alumni association of the Insead business school in Paris.

He lost his £492,000-a-year job with the transport and news agency company last spring as a result of boardroom restructuring, and has now been asked to make recommendations for Scottish Labour reform including "resources required, capabilities necessary and the infrastructure to stay in touch with members and communicate with supporters".

The party's left is unimpressed. Vince Mills, Scottish secretary of the Campaign for Socialism, said Ms Alexander is following Prime Minister Gordon Brown by appointing "fat cats" to senior roles.

He commented: "The Labour Party has suffered because of the influence of the private sector, particularly on public services, and by giving them privileged access and positions, they're going to alienate the membership."

Ms Alexander announced the review yesterday as she was confirmed as new leader of Labour's group at Holyrood. It was one of a range of moves to boost the party's organisation, "signalling a party that takes more responsibility for itself".

Tom McCabe, the campaign manager who saw off any other competition for the leadership, is to become campaign director to help prepare for forthcoming elections.

That will require him to play a pivotal role in planning for the Westminster ballot. Those close to Ms Alexander say MPs are showing a new willingness to work with MSPs and backing her initiative for party reform.

To signal a Scotland-wide approach, four MSPs are to be regional campaign co-ordinators: David Stewart, a former Inverness MP, in the Highlands and Islands; Lewis Macdonald, the former health minister, in the north-east; John Park, a Fife-based Central Scotland MSP, covering the central belt; and Greenock's Duncan McNeill responsible for the west and south.

There is to be a new membership recruitment drive, with John Quigley, the Scottish secretary of Unite, given the lead role.

The party's Glasgow headquarters is already planning a training scheme to boost the ability of voluntary organisers within the party to use modern campaigning techniques.

There is to be a "root and branch examination" of how members can best contribute ideas, with plans to be unveiled soon for "a virtual think tank to let more fresh air into our policy-making".

An Association of Scottish Labour Councillors is being set up, with Glasgow Council leader Steven Purcell and former health minister Andy Kerr in the lead.

A team of advisers is expected to be finalised this weekend, with new front- bench appointments at the start of the week.

Ms Alexander said these first steps in renewing the party organisation will be followed by a set of reforms to be put to the party's Scottish conference early next year, with deputy leader Cathy Jamieson co-ordinating. The new leader wants to use that process to carve out more autonomy from London.

Her speech set out to stress her credentials as leader of a Scottish party. "Labour in Scotland will be a party of Scotland, a party for Scotland," she said.

There was a message for the public, acknowledging the harsh message picked up from May's election result: "You said you wanted change - I heard you," she said.

There was praise for Jack McConnell, who resigned from the leadership last month after more than five years as first minister: "I'm not going to pretend we saw eye to eye on every issue, but under his leadership Scotland has become an infinitely better place".

And in claiming new SNP government has been breaking, ditching or postponing manifesto commitments, she said: "If they can't keep their word a few months after the election, how can they be trusted in the future?"