Close Brothers Asset Finance announces dedicated UK Agriculture team
Team set up to fund not only traditional Agricultural equipment, but also diversifications
Close Brothers Asset Finance announced it has appointed Gareth Evans to head up the funders’ new Agriculture team as it continues to diversify its offering as part of its ambitious growth plans.
Gareth, who has significant experience of the general Agriculture sector, is the first of four new hires who will work closely with farmers to help them diversify and supplement their income from non-traditional sources.
Led by Gareth, the team will cover the whole of the UK, with each member responsible for their own region and will be attending all key shows, including LAMMA Hall 19, Stand 19.607, the Royal Cheshire Show, Great Yorkshire Show and Lincolnshire Show.
Gareth said: “This is an exciting opportunity for myself, the new team and Close Brothers, we are all looking forward to the challenge of working in this fantastic market.”
“We bring with us decades’ of collective experience and are extremely well known in the sector, which means we’ll be in a position to hit the ground running.”
Steve Gee, CEO of Close Brothers Asset Finance’s Industrial Equipment Division, added: “Getting someone of Gareth’s calibre on board further endorses our plans to grow our exposure in the general Agriculture sector, a market we identified as a growth sector.
“Agriculture is not new to us and we’ve long worked with farmers, but it’s the first time we have established a dedicated UK-wide team. When we enter a sector, we remain committed for the long-term, as evidenced by our experience in industries like manufacturing, engineering and construction, where we’ve had a presence for 30 years.”
Andy Sagar, Managing Director of the Construction team, said: “We identified Agriculture as a growth sector because many farmers are, through necessity, adapting to the climate risk and moving beyond traditional farming income, and we want to help them on that journey to diversification, whether it be to a more nature-based approach or even setting up holiday homes
“The options are almost limitless and we are optimistic about the future. As the economy continues to recover, we look forward to helping farmers thrive through all economic cycles.”
