Close Brothers appoints Oliver McEntyre as Head of Agriculture

Close Brothers has appointed Oliver McEntyre as Head of Agriculture as the lender looks to strengthen its agricultural finance offering and expand its presence in the sector.

McEntyre joins Close Brothers following an 18-year career at Barclays, bringing extensive experience in agricultural finance, consultancy and leadership.

His professional background is complemented by practical farming experience, having grown up on a family farm, studied at agricultural college and worked in farm management and consultancy.

In his new role, McEntyre will be responsible for developing Close Brothers’ agricultural finance proposition, expanding the team and strengthening relationships with farmers and agricultural businesses across the UK.

Commenting on his appointment, McEntyre said: “I’m delighted to be joining Close Brothers, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. The prospect of building a team and helping take Close Brothers’ agricultural proposition forward really appealed to me.

“I want us to strengthen our position in the market, and grow our reputation as a credible, relationship-led agricultural lender.”

Close Brothers has provided funding to farmers and businesses operating across the agricultural sector for many years, with the latest appointment forming part of its plans to further develop its specialist lending capabilities.

Andrew New, Managing Director, Growth Portfolios at Close Brothers, said: “Close Brothers has been providing funding support to farmers and the wider agricultural sector for many years. The appointment of an individual of Oliver’s experience and reputation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to this vital industry.

“Oliver’s immediate priority will be to grow his team, ensuring it has the right mix of agricultural knowledge, commercial judgement and relationship skills. This is an exciting time for us and I’m looking forward to seeing the team delivering for our farming community.”