While David Thorburn enjoys the speed of motor sport in his personal life he is not known as someone who rushes into business decisions.

A word often heard to describe this career banker by colleagues and contemporaries is careful while cautious is another term often deployed.

Certainly he won't be jumping straight back in to front line executive work or snapping to get anything that comes his way when he formally leaves Clydesdale Bank on February 28.

With the weight of leading the bank about to lift from his shoulders at the end of this month Mr Thorburn is looking forward to spending some time with his family, an "uninterrupted" holiday and indulging some of his passions for motor racing and music.

A trip to a Formula One race is one thing on his schedule but he decries any notion of having a bucket list to tick off over the next few months.

While he admits to not having any "irons in the fire" regards work a portfolio of non-executive roles is something that is under consideration.

He said: "What I would like to do is take a bit of time to have the unusual experience of an uninterrupted holiday for the first time in any number of years. I want to think through what I want to do next.

"I am considering developing a portfolio of interests. I don't want to run into anything but that is the direction I am leaning in."

Having joined Clydesdale Bank initially as a graduate trainee in 1978 Mr Thorburn spent five years getting a grounding in all aspects of the industry.

That included postings at the Burnbank branch, other city centre branches, the head office and a spell in London all while studying for his banking qualifications.

He said: "You had to do all the jobs. I can't profess to have done them all well but I certainly tried my hand at them all. You also had to do your bank exams over that period and I think that was good discipline."

After a 10-year stint at TSB Mr Thorburn returned to Clydesdale working across a number of functions as he climbed the corporate ladder.

He said: "I have loved the diversity [in my career]. I worked in retail banking for many years, business banking, credit side of things in head office, strategy, risk roles. They have all been really interesting."

Asked about highlights of his career Mr Thorburn is typically modest although he does describe the changes he has seen - from cash handling and mountains of paper to the growing trend for banking from mobile devices - as extraordinary.

He said: "I do feel very strongly I am handing the bank over in good shape to my successor and I do feel we have made good progress in building a better bank for our customers.

"Looking back there have been some things I have really enjoyed. I was very honoured to get the opportunity to run this bank for a period of time. I had a period where I was lucky enough to be chairman of the CBI (Scotland) and president of the Chartered Banker Institute and those were very enjoyable and interesting things to do along the way."

The 57-year-old is also keen to point out that the changes implemented at Clydesdale Bank in recent years have been the result of a collective effort.

He said: "I wouldn't want to characterise this as something I have achieved. It is very much a team effort correcting some of the faults of the past and trying to take the bank forward.

"One of the things I am really pleased about is if you look at the executive committee and board of Clydesdale Bank I think both are pretty strong."

Although owner National Australia Bank has not always been the easiest of parents for Clydesdale Mr Thorburn refuses to be critical.

He said: "I've enjoyed my association with Australia. The timezone can be difficult and the distance is difficult but it does make the job interesting to be part of an international group.

"I have worked with a lot of very capable people over that period of time."

However one trip there does stick in his mind. He said: "I remember flying out to Australia and we were a couple of hours from Singapore and one of the engines caught fire on the plane. So it was a memorable landing. I was awake at the time and it was all handled incredibly well by the airline but I'll never forget that experience."

Asked about any regrets he has Mr Thorburn doesn't try to shirk away from events of recent years which has seen a number of conduct scandals come to light across the industry and a major restructuring which saw 1,400 people leave Clydesdale. He said: "I am still proud [to be a banker] but you can't gloss over what has happened since 2008.

"The industry has had some very difficult times as have we. It has had its reputation badly damaged and a lot of work has needed to be done and continues to be done to put that right and win back the trust and confidence of the public.

"That has been very unfortunate for the industry and we have shared in that. I am very confident that Clydesdale Bank will continue to do everything it can once I have gone to win that trust and confidence back."

According to Mr Thorburn one of the things he will miss most is working with customers. While he declines to go into specifics regarding any particularly memorable situations he said: "They are all interesting and demanding and sometimes you can't satisfy them. It is a very rewarding part of the job and I will miss that for sure.

"You can have some difficult times particularly when a business is in difficulty but you can have good times with customers as well.

"You learn more trying to help one customer through financial difficulties than doing 25 great deals. There is a lot more to be learned from difficult situations."

While he has been a contemporary of many high profile bankers, including NAB's Cameron Clyne and former Royal Bank of Scotland chief Fred Goodwin, Mr Thorburn was not keen to single out any particular mentors he has had during his career.

Yet he does hold on to one piece of wisdom. He said: "One of the pieces of advice I remember is the stewardship responsibility when you take over a leadership role in an organisation. Leave it in better shape than you got it is pretty good advice."

Although his time at the bank is coming to a close Mr Thorburn's name will still be associated with Clydesdale for a while yet.

He said: "One of the nicer sides of the job here is our heritage and getting to sign the bank notes.

"I recently signed the first polymer bank notes that will be in issue around the UK and you'll see them at the end of March. They'll be around a long time as they are polymer."