The Duchy of Lancaster has confirmed the appointment of Christopher Sparrow to head up its rural portfolio. Christopher has spent the last 10 years working for The Duke of Buccleuch as estate manager for the Boughton Estate.

This latest hire is the fourth permanent appointment made by the Duchy of Lancaster in the last year, underlining its commitment to commercial sustainability and responsible asset management.

Nathan Thompson, chief executive of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “The Duchy of Lancaster comprises a diverse of portfolio of properties and it is important they are managed responsibly, sustainably and in accordance with the organisation’s unique cultural heritage. This depends on having the right team in place and I am confident that the skills and experience that Christopher has will make an extremely important contribution to the Duchy. I am very pleased to welcome him to our management team and look forward to working with him.”

A graduate of renowned agricultural university, Harper Adams, Christopher is also chairman of Northamptonshire Rural Housing Association and a non-executive director of Camgrain, a farmer owned co-operative that stores grain in three strategic sites across the Midlands to improve sale price and reduce storage costs.

Christopher said: “I am honoured to be joining the team at the Duchy of Lancaster. The rural portfolio holds an exceptional range of core assets from which will emerge many associated opportunities. With the support of key stakeholders the Duchy has the potential to push forward performance not only commercially but also in terms of improved stewardship, operational sustainability and creating a positive impact on the communities in which it operates. I look forward to being part of this process and building on the achievements to date.”

The Duchy of Lancaster is a private estate owned by Her Majesty The Queen, as Duke of Lancaster. The rural estate consists of 18,454 hectares of land in England and Wales.