Rick Warburton, managing partner, Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre (From York Press)

Rick Warburton, managing partner, Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre

2:28pm Tuesday 6th July 2010 in

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AS MANAGING partner of the Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre, Rick Warburton is able to identify the key challenges for his staff over the past two years.

Apart from the severity of the recession, it was that many younger members of staff had only ever worked through good times.

“After 15 years’ growth, it was the same for many of our business customers and the ‘grey-hairs’ on our banking teams have had to guide them through,” says Rick, 49, who became managing partner Yorkshire Bank’s North Yorkshire FSC, at Clifton Moor, in January.

The first member of his family to go to university, Rick, born in Bury, Lancs, studied geography and politics at Sheffield before joining Yorkshire Bank’s graduate scheme in 1982 in Leeds. He has worked for the bank ever since, meeting his wife, Sue, while at a retail branch in Hull.

They live in Harrogate and have two children; Becky, who works for Newcastle University Student Union and Lizzie who takes A-levels at Harrogate Grammar School this summer.

His career has included various roles in Darlington, Hull, and head office in Leeds, followed by time as an area manager for business banking before managing partner appointments in Tees Valley FSC and Sheffield.

North Yorkshire FSC, which has 35 staff in York, and five in Harrogate – including the biggest agri-business team in the bank’s UK network – is committed to lending its share of the £2 billion made available for Yorkshire and Humber this year and next and is operating the bank’s newly-announced Investing For Growth strategy enabling businesses to re-structure finance to invest in economic recovery.

He says: “North Yorkshire is a very good banking area. Agri-business has continued to do well and we will be announcing an expansion of our team soon. We have money to lend to good-quality enterprises and confidence is tentatively returning. Businesses are slowly starting to re-stock and look to the future.

“There is also recognition that Yorkshire Bank’s prudent, integrated financial solutions approach is very much what people want from this industry in the future.”

Which job (other than your own) would you like to have and why?

A travel correspondent so you could get to see the wonders of the world at someone else's expense.

Greatest achievement?

My wife says marrying her. I would say playing in the FA Vase cup final at Wembley or raising two level- headed daughters.

Biggest mistake?

Not buying some Next shares when they were 10p each. They are now around £20 a share.

What makes you most angry?

When someone wastes the talent they have.

Who makes you laugh?

Peter Kaye, Gavin and Stacey and Del Boy.

What fools do you suffer least?

Politicians as they struggle to answer questions honestly and they abuse our trust. Perhaps the new coalition will change my views - lets hope so.

Whom do you most admire and why?

I have a few friends who will struggle with this one but it would have to be Sir Alex Ferguson. He has led a huge business to outstanding success over a very long time. His influence, desire and passion have never diminished and he gets the very best out of people. Yes, he has had money to invest but he rarely gets it wrong.

What do you need to make life complete? Seeing my two daughters being happy.

How do you relax? I've played sport most of my life to relax and at the moment I enjoy belting a small white ball as far and as straight as I can. More recently I've been involved in quite long walks to raise money for St Michael's Hospice and Oxfam.

Why do you make a difference?

I guess I've been well trained at work and also well coached through my sporting links and it seems natural to always try and do your best and make the best out of situations.

Name the organisation you see as the perfect one (not your own) and why.

Difficult one as I've never worked any where else, but Bettys seem to have developed an experience which is something special and one people return to time and again.

Favourite record?

One by Mary J Blige and Bono

Favourite holiday destination?

We went to a small island called Baros in the Indian Ocean for our 20th wedding anniversary and if you like the sun, crystal clear blue water, snorkelling to see turtles and some stunning fish, good food and wine and time to read a few books, then it takes some beating.

Your epitaph

Someone you could trust.