End of a 48-year era as Clark steps down at Swans

Well-known and respected auctioneer, Jack Clark, managing director of John Swan & Sons, will step down from the rostrum for the last time next April after 48 years selling livestock.

A past president of the Scottish Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers, Clark has for a long number of years also been the voice commenting on the prestigious cattle championship at the Highland Show.

Speaking yesterday, Clark said he considered it had been tremendously privileged to head the company in one of the main livestock areas in the country. His connections with the company will continue after April, as he will become a non-executive director. His position as managing director will be taken by Steven Wilson, currently the firm’s finance director, who already has 20 years service with the company. Clark’s replacement as head auctioneer will be announced at a later date.

In the official notice to the Stock Exchange of the change of directors, John Swan & Sons, also said that it would be restructuring the board to reflect the changing focus of the business towards the management and development of the company’s property assets.

The board would in future focus on property under the leadership of Jack Cadell, who, after two years with John Swan Ltd, has been elected to the board to take executive responsibility for implementing a strategy for realising its property assets.