THE FORMER finance director of the National Trust for Scotland has joined court-lawyers membership organisation the Faculty of Advocates in the newly created role of chief executive.

Iain Reid, who also previously worked at pensions giant Scottish Widows, has now taken over the running of both the organisation and its administrative arm, Faculty Services.

Tony Parker, who has been chief executive of Faculty Services since 1995 will remain in post and will report to Mr Reid.

Mr Reid, who has joined the Faculty a year after Gordon Jackson QC took over as dean, said he is looking forward “to contributing to the continued development of the Faculty over the coming years”.

Since succeeding James Wolffe QC - now the Lord Advocate - as dean, Mr Jackson and vice-dean Angela Grahame QC have set about modernising the Faculty’s image in a bid to attract a more diverse body of candidates into the profession.

Earlier this week the Faculty launched a film campaign aimed at encouraging students from all backgrounds to consider training as an advocate.

Mr Jackson said the purpose of the film was to “bring the Faculty of Advocates to a new audience and inspire more legal talent to join the profession”.

“Members of Faculty come from a broad cross section of society, and we’re keen to bust any myths people may have about advocates or access to the profession,” he said.

Mr Reid, whose most recent job was as chief financial officer of University of Edinburgh spin-out Sunergos Innovations, will play a role in such projects.