Don Hirst
Regional Sales Director, Indirect Sales

I started my career with Lombard in 1986 having spent the earlier years picking up the  Institute of Bankers qualifications (ACIB ) and gaining a wide range of experience in junior positions,  in various parts of the Banking world.

My first role with Lombard was Senior Industrial Rep covering the Derby area, which involved managing my own Portfolio of customers who were dealt with on a direct Business to Business basis. As well as this I sourced business from the Commercial Vehicle dealers in the area and from Commercial Business transfer agents.

In 1987 I moved on to the role of Area Industrial Specialist based out of Nottingham, which involved the first house move of my career. This was a specialist role supporting Relationship Managers across the East Midlands in the larger Asset funding opportunities.

1989 saw my first move into man management, taking the Regional Industrial Manager role in Birmingham, covering the various branches Lombard had across the  West Midlands.

Following the restructure of the Business in 1990 I moved to open a New Business Centre in Liverpool consolidating four small offices in the North West and North Wales, working closely with the Nat West teams across the area.  This role gave me the opportunity to build a new team and create a focussed Business to Business sales team.This was the first of several Centre teams I ran, Stoke and Haydock followed, with different challenges at each.

In July 2007  I was promoted to Regional Sales Director in the newly formed ‘Indirect’ channel, dealing with Brokers and Introducers across Scotland and the North of England. I find the role challenging and enjoyable presenting the new challenges of Strategic planning for this very new and fast moving business.

The Future? – I don’t know for sure, but I know that significant opportunities are out there in a Group the size of RBS.

back