Financial trade body bolsters board with appointment of Scottish chair of RBS

Royal Bank of Scotland’s chairman in Scotland, Malcolm Buchanan, has joined the board of industry body Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE), it was announced today.

Malcolm Buchanan is also the banks managing director for corporate and commercial banking. Picture: Gary Baker

Buchanan, who is also the bank’s managing director for corporate and commercial banking, is the fifth new addition to the board of SFE in 2019.

More than 40 per cent of the board have joined this year, and also include: Sue Dawe, EY’s head of financial services, Scotland; Philip Grant of Lloyds Banking Group, who took over the role of SFE chairman in June; Anthony Rafferty, managing director of fintech business Origo Services; and Vida Rudkin, a managing director of Morgan Stanley.

Philip Grant, SFE chairman, said: “Malcolm is one of the leading figures within Scotland’s financial services industry and it is a huge honour to have him join the SFE board of directors. His extensive experience will be of significant value to our expanding and increasingly diverse membership.

“The SFE board reflects the strength and depth of the financial services community in Scotland which is home to a raft of committed and talented people.

“The organisation continues to drive forward with and make significant progress with our ambitious industry strategy.”

Positive

Buchanan added: “Our industry is core to the Scottish economy and SFE makes a positive impact on the outcomes and experience of our customers, clients and communities which we serve.

“I am fortunate to be joining a proactive and supportive organisation and I look forward to helping participate in its future success and prepare our sector for the opportunities which lie ahead.”

The representative body said that during the past year it had initiated or supported a number of “significant strategic developments” including the launch of the first prospectus designed to promote the collective might of the industry and the introduction of a recruitment hub in Glasgow.

SFE, which is headquartered in Edinburgh, has also rolled out a Scotland-wide schools programme providing “a vital and unique opportunity to promote Scotland’s financial services to young people from all backgrounds”.