BARCLAYS has appointed John Harland as its new small business area manager in Richmond and Kingston.

John and his 11-strong team are responsible for providing Richmond and Kingston small businesses with the financial products and support that they need to grow and thrive. They specialise in existing small business and start-ups.

Barclays says it is the only bank to have its training for small business managers endorsed by the government-backed Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative.

John said: "I am looking forward to working with businesses in the area to help them achieve their goals.

"Whether people are starting a business or are already established, they tell us they want a locally-based expert to talk to about their aspirations, challenges and opportunities. I know my team is ideally placed to fulfil this role."