Nationwide’s Chief Executive Becomes a Dame in King’s Birthday Honours
The chief executive of Nationwide, Debbie Crosbie, has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, being awarded a damehood for her services to financial services. According to a report by Yahoo Finance, Dame Debbie is the only woman to lead a “big six” bank in the UK and is also a Scot.
In an interview with the PA news agency, Dame Debbie said she was “hugely proud” of her Glasgow background and her achievement. “I try to encourage people to think beyond ‘I’m a female’, but when it comes to this (honour) I am actually hugely proud,” she said. “I grew up in Glasgow, I wasn’t different to any of my peer group, so to be given the opportunity to lead… I’ve had a massively rewarding career. As a woman, I hope that sends a message of opportunity and hope, not just to young people.”
Dame Debbie’s career in banking spans over 30 years, during which she has climbed the ranks of Clydesdale Bank before becoming chief executive of TSB bank in 2019. Since taking the top job at Nationwide in 2022, she has led the building society’s £2.9 billion acquisition of Virgin Money, which has seen it become the UK’s second-largest mortgages and savings provider.
The Yahoo Finance report also stated that Dame Debbie was particularly honoured to be recognised as not just the only woman to lead a major high street bank in the UK, but also as a Scot. “Lots of people talk about me being a female but I think most of my peer group have come from a much higher social demographic and they tended to be educated in either Oxford or Cambridge,” she told PA. “I think having that diverse social mobility as well as gender is really important – we do a lot of work at Nationwide to try and encourage people from backgrounds who wouldn’t traditionally think of themselves as able to go into these types of jobs.”
In addition to Dame Debbie’s honour, other businesswomen have also been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours. Roisin Currie, the chief executive of Greggs, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to hospitality. According to Yahoo Finance, Ms Currie became the chief executive of Greggs in 2022, having joined the Newcastle-based bakery chain 12 years prior.
The Yahoo Finance report also mentioned that Ms Currie has overseen the chain topping £2 billion in annual revenue for the first time last year. She spent nearly 20 years at Asda before joining Greggs as its people director in 2010.
Furthermore, Dana Strong, the group chief executive of Sky, has been made a CBE for her services to business and media. The Yahoo Finance report stated that Ms Strong has overseen the launch of Sky Glass, the streaming TV that requires no satellite dish or box, and Sky Stream.
In conclusion, the King’s Birthday Honours have recognised several businesswomen, including Dame Debbie Crosbie, Roisin Currie, and Dana Strong, for their outstanding contributions to their respective industries. As reported by Yahoo Finance, these women have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to their fields, and their honours serve as a testament to their hard work and achievements.
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