Following its acquisition of Grieg Seafood Hjaltland U.K. at the end of last year, Scottish Sea Farms has confirmed two new appointments in Shetland.
Richard Darbyshire, formerly Scottish Sea Farms Orkney regional manager, and then most recently Northern Isles regional manager with responsibility for both Shetland and Orkney, will become Shetland regional manager, focusing exclusively on the region’s newly-expanded farming estate.
Darbyshire will be supported by Grant Cumming, previously managing director of Grieg Seafood’s Scottish operations, in the role of operations manager for Shetland.
The company's initial priorities following the acquisition include shaping a new, blended organizational structure that brings together the best of both company cultures, implementing a single cohesive farming strategy across the estate, and setting clear and measurable targets per farm, it said in a press release.
“Across the region, we have a great marine team who care deeply about doing the right thing by their fish and the environment and are keen to develop and improve further. That’s a great starting point for any regional manager and I’m looking forward to playing my part in helping the team deliver,” Darbyshire said.
Cumming said that the two have worked together in the past and are confident about the salmon-farming industry's future in the area.
“Richard and myself go back many years and are aligned in our belief in the fuller potential of Shetland. I’m thrilled to be a part of the next chapter and I’m excited to see what more we can achieve as one team,” Cumming said.
Scottish Sea Farms Managing Director Jim Gallagher said the two are the best fits to lead the company's regional operation.
“Over his 21-year career with the company, Richard has gone from strength to strength, proving time and again his talent for bringing out the best in his teams. During his last 18 months as Northern Isles regional manager, he has also amassed an extensive working knowledge of our Shetland activities, quickly gaining the respect of our local farmers,” Gallagher said. “Add to this Grant’s in-depth experience of the former Grieg Seafood Hjaltland U.K. team, farms, and facilities, and I firmly believe we have the best team at the helm to take our combined estate onto even bigger and better things.”
With Darbyshire set to focus exclusively on Shetland, a successor is being sought for the position of Orkney regional manager, the company said.
Photo courtesy of Scottish Sea Farms
