Martin comes from a farming background, having grown up on a mixed farm in North Yorkshire. After attending Wye College, he has maintained a strong rural and sporting life. His career has included work as a contractor, forester and consultant, and for the last 25 years he has specialised in financing farms and estates. During that time, he has lent more than £1.6 billion into the farms and estates sector. He is passionate about British agriculture, particularly its ability to produce high-quality food while maintaining and enhancing the countryside.