NFU Scotland (NFUS) has welcomed its new chief executive John Davidson to the helm this week as the 11th CEO in 110 years.
Mr Davidson is the former Deputy Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, which he joined in 2020, after a lengthy career in various senior roles across the Scottish government.
This includes private Secretary to the former Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead, and most recently as the head of food and drink at Scottish government for five years.
Mr Davidson led the development of the new national food and drink strategy for Scotland, launched by the First Minister Humza Yousaf at the Royal Highland Show, which will strengthen the resilience of the entire industry and grow its value and reputation domestically and internationally.
Beginning his new role at NFUS Mr Davidson said: “I am delighted to join the union at such a pivotal time for the industry and am very much looking forward to working closely with the board and a hugely talented staff team.
“It was great to meet some of the membership over the past few days at the Royal Highland Show and I am looking forward to meeting many more over the coming weeks and months.
“The show was a fantastic showcase for our industry, and it was good to see so many Government ministers and Politicians in attendance, including the new First Minister. I believe the future of the industry is bright and I look forward to representing our members’ interests to ensure a vibrant and profitable future.”
Welcoming him to the organisation, NFUS president Martin Kennedy said: “John is the ideal candidate to lead the organisation into our next chapter. It is a time of big challenges and opportunities for the future.
“John has the leadership skills we need to drive forward the business of NFU Scotland and lead our fantastic team in delivering the best possible outcomes for our growing farming and crofting membership.”
