Neil Wilson, former head of agriculture at HSBC Bank, has been appointed executive director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS).

The livestock auctioneers’ representative organisation is keen to promote the marketing system and highlight the sector’s interest to government.

“I see an important part of my role being to forge greater links with other stakeholders throughout the agricultural industry to see where we can join forces and share ideas to meet the challenges we face and seize the opportunities which emerge as the entire rural sector continues to evolve,” Dumfries-based Wilson said.