Handelsbanken Edinburgh West End hires Brian Gorey – Scottish Business News

Handelsbanken, the local relationship bank, has expanded its corporate management team in Edinburgh with the appointment of Brian Gorey to its West End branch.

Originally from Co. Kilkenny in Ireland, Gorey brings to the role over two decades of experience in the sector having moved to Scotland from Dublin in 2003 to help establish Allied Irish Bank’s new corporate office in the capital.

He was most recently with Barclays, where he spent four years as head of credit analysis for Scotland and the North East prior to becoming Relationship Director for Real Estate.

He joins what is already an experienced corporate management team including deputy branch manager Tom Oliver and fellow-corporate banking managers Chris Rawson and Graeme McNaughton.

Gorey, whose recruitment comes after the recent appointment of Kevin Hulse as the bank’s first Corporate Manager – Business Development for Edinburgh, said: “The role is an ideal fit for me having worked in relationship banking for the past 20 years and I am excited to join a team with a strong track record and real growth aspirations.”

“The unique Handelsbanken model epitomises relationship banking. The fact they approach this through a local lens really appealed – as does the autonomy given to branches to make on-the-ground decisions based on their own, in-depth knowledge of the local economy.

“Having a close-knit team with that knowledge and focus adds to the strength of how best to support customers.

“With a team of experienced personal and corporate bankers, this means all aspects of the customer relationship can be supported and nurtured in person.”

The 150-year-old bank, which was founded in Sweden, first opened in the UK in 1982.

Its extensive network of branches includes nine in Scotland and north Cumbria, with an Edinburgh presence since 2009.

It is the only AA-rated bank in the UK and has been rated top for satisfaction 15 years running in an independent satisfaction survey for personal and business banking customers.

The bank has also been named as the most recommended provider for relationship/account management for SMEs by the Competition and Markets Authority’s Independent Service Quality Survey in February 2024.

Welcoming the appointment, Handelsbanken Edinburgh West End branch manager Iain Henderson said: “Our key focus remains on the customer relationship and we needed to bring in extra resources to support our growth.

“Brian is an experienced hire with good market contacts following his time with Allied Irish Bank and Barclays and is an ideal fit for us.

“His arrival will help us support existing customers and new ones we are onboarding as we grow our lending, deposit and wealth management books.

“We have enjoyed successful growth over the last decade and as we continue to meet the demand, we will support the local market in the best way possible.

“It’s an exciting period for us and it’s encouraging to be able to expand our corporate team. It’s a material change for the team here and gives us capacity within an experienced team to support the ongoing growth of the branch.”