_Former CLA President, Ross Murray, to join Knight Frank as Chairman of Rural Asset Management

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Ross Murray as Chairman of our Rural Asset Management division. Ross, who recently completed his term as President of the CLA, will join Knight Frank in early 2018 and will lead the firm’s team of rural consultants.

Ross is one of the UK’s leading authorities on the issues affecting rural landowners and businesses and has over has twenty-five years’ experience in the sector. In his role as President of the CLA, where he also served as Vice-President (2011-13) and as Deputy President (2013-15), Ross represented over 33,000 rural landowners and business, and worked closely with the UK government on their behalf, lobbying on crucial issues such as Brexit and other key concerns including rural broadband and compulsory purchase reform. 

Ross also has extensive practical experience, having developed and managed a diverse portfolio of rural and urban estates in Wales, as well as a large forest in South-West Scotland, woodlands in Wales and a fishery on the River Usk. Alongside being a Chartered Surveyor, Ross is Trustee of the Llanover Estate, Trustee of the Wye and Usk Foundation and Deputy Lieutenant for Gwent. Ross has been active in politics on a local level as well as national - he previously sat on the board of Scottish Land & Estates and also formerly chaired the Policy board of the European Landowners Organisation (ELO).

Over the next few years, landowners will face a fast-changing landscape and will need to make some crucial, strategic decisions. We believe that having Ross on-board as Chairman of Rural Asset Management will be of significant value to our business and, more importantly, to our current and future clients, as he can provide unparalleled practical advice as well as high-level political insight into the issues affecting owners of rural assets.

Ross Murray says ‘I am very excited to be joining Knight Frank in 2018 and look forward to leading the Rural Asset Management team while supporting its ambitious plans for development and expansion. 

Formed of some of the UK’s top consultants and valuers, Knight Frank’s rural division is excellently positioned to provide wide-ranging consultancy support, a service that is increasingly needed by landowners in the run-up to Brexit.’