The new man at the helm of Scotland's national art galleries wants more collaborations between the country's two biggest cities.

Ben Thomson, the new chair of the National Galleries of Scotland, says he wishes to see more artistic treasures from the galleries in Edinburgh make the journey along the M8, and to other parts of Scotland.

Speaking to The Herald for the first time since becoming chair, Mr Thomson, a leading investment banker, said: "One big part of our job is to build and maintain a national collection that we can get as widely accessible as we possibly can.

"I would like to see more exhibitions in Glasgow, absolutely, and throughout the whole of Scotland.

"With 75,000 artefacts we should be making sure that these art works are seen, not just at the National Galleries of Scotland locations, but as widely as possible around Scotland."

Mr Thomson, 46, warned that raising a further £50m to buy the second Titian, Diana and Callisto, from the Duke of Sutherland would be "difficult" in the current economic climate, and he would not be drawn on whether one of the galleries' most famous paintings, The Skating Minister, was Scottish or French in origin.

The Rev Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch is attributed to Sir Henry Raeburn, but others say it is a work by obscure French artist Henri-Pierre Danloux.

Referring to the painting, Mr Thomson said: "Perhaps people do not remember the advert Is She Or Isn't She?' for Harmony hairspray, where the very beautiful woman walks down the street with everyone wondering whether she is using hairspray or not. So, I think it's exactly the same."

Mr Thomson, who will be the unpaid chair of the board of trustees for the next four years, was born in London in 1963, graduated in physics from Edinburgh University and joined the Noble Group in 1990.

He was appointed chief executive in 1997 and chairman in 2007.