Effective from the 1 January 2024, the appointment further underlines the bank’s long-term commitment to build a growing team of specialist advisors for a farming industry facing a daunting combination of political and financial challenges.

With 15 years’ experience in banking with Virgin Money and Clydesdale Bank, including the past 10 years specialising in looking after farming customers, Mr Galbraith brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise of supporting agricultural clients in Scotland, from the Borders to Orkney. In his new regional role, he will liaise with existing and new clients to deliver the bank’s unique combination of funding, advisory, and management capabilities to the farming sector, in Lanarkshire, Stirlingshire and Perthshire.

Stephen Buchan, Virgin Money head of agriculture for Scotland, is delighted to welcome the new business manager to his new post at a time of growing demand for the bank’s support from agricultural clients. “The industry has been challenged as never before by the global economic situation, by soaring inflationary costs and depressed farm gate prices, and by the proposed radical change in Government support with its new focus on environmental rather than production targets.

“Virgin Money has a long-established heritage of responding to farming communities’ real needs and it has led the way in developing funding solutions, like the Agri E-Fund, to help the those in agriculture find the best way forward to meet the new focus on the industry’s carbon footprint and net zero targets.

“Adam Galbraith has all the professional and personal credibility we look for in our Business Managers to help farming clients plan and invest for their own sustainable future and to communicate the opportunities we can offer.”

A qualified Chartered Banker, Mr Galbraith’s professional credentials have developed over a decade of serving farming clients in Scotland, alongside a growing empathy for the families and the industry he serves.

“I’m privileged to have been appointed to cover these key areas which yield such a rich and diverse range of produce. Working with Scottish farming businesses through a fast-changing economic landscape, particularly over the past few years, has given me a very clear insight into what our clients need from us.

“Challenges such as farm input cost inflation, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding post Brexit Scottish agricultural support, and interest rate rises have all put far more pressure on the finances of even the most resilient farm businesses. My role is to support these businesses and use my expertise within the agri sector to help find the best and most cost-effective solutions to help them flourish.”