Jim Pettigrew of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank (CYBG) has been appointed chairman of Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) to succeed Ewan Brown who is retiring from the post after four years on July 1.
SFE is the trade group for Scotland’s financial services industry, which directly employs 100,000 people, generates £8 billion for the Scottish economy, manages over £800 billion of funds and accounts for about a quarter of all UK employment in life assurance and 13% of all banking jobs.
Pettigrew is chairman of CYBG, has more than 30 years’ experience as a chartered accountant and is immediate past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).
He is also chairman of The Edinburgh Investment Trust plc, senior independent non-executive director of Crest Nicholson Holdings plc, and deputy chairman of RBC Europe Limited.
Brown said: “Jim has worked across a range of financial services sectors and the expertise he brings with him will be tremendously valuable to the work of SFE.
“It is a time of fast paced change in financial services and the landscape in which we are operating, both in Scotland and internationally, is constantly evolving.
“With this in mind, we have embarked on a number of new initiatives at SFE to bring together a shared strategic direction for the industry in Scotland and its part in society.
“It is, therefore, an excellent time for Jim to join and help shape this vision for the future.
“I wish him well and I am confident that under his leadership, the SFE Board, together with chief executive Graeme Jones, will continue to successfully represent and support Scottish financial services.”
Pettigrew said: “The financial services industry is hugely important to Scotland and I feel privileged to have this opportunity to play a part in supporting and promoting the industry.
“It is an exciting time to be joining SFE.
“I look forward to working with Graeme and SFE members to develop a shared vision which places the industry’s role in society and serving customers, firmly at its centre.”
SFE chairman is an unpaid, non-executive position.