HEREFORDIAN John Farrow has been appointed by Monmouthshire Building Society as chairman of its Board of Directors, having served on the board since 1989.

As incoming chairman, Mr Farrow, who was born in Hereford, stated his intention to continue the society's strategy of growth, building on its reputation for providing competitive products and friendly, professional advice, while maintaining and extending the branch and agency network.

A chartered accountant and educated in South Wales, he was formerly with Ernst and Young based in both London and Rome, before returning to join Hereford Glass Works as managing director for more than 10 years.

More recently, he has undertaken extensive financial restructuring projects in Russia, Eastern Europe and the Baltic States for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the EU Phare and Tacis programmes.