City honoured in the Queen’s birthday list
BANK of England governor Mervyn King has topped a list of City figures recognised for their services to British business, banking and finance in the Queen’s birthday honours list.
This year’s honours list is weighted heavily towards recognising the contribution of the City. This is partly due to it being seen as politically unpalatable for the honours to be handed to City figures during the financial crisis, creating a backlog of worthwhile candidates.
Sir Mervyn has been given a knighthood for his services to banking, at a time when Britain’s financial policymakers are under unprecedented scrutiny.
The governor has been in charge at the Bank throughout the financial crisis and is the chairman of the Monetary Policy Committee, the body that controls the setting of interest rates in Britain.
The keen Aston Villa fan assumed the position in 2003, after first joining the Bank in 1991.
His Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire title allows him to wear a mantle, a hat and a gold collar.
Another top City figures honoured with a knighthood was Frank Chapman, the chief executive of FTSE 100 energy giant BG Group. Sir Frank, who took the top job at BG Group in 2000, was knighted for services to the oil and gas industries.
Stagecoach chief executive Brian Souter receives a gong for services to transport and the voluntary sector. He founded Stagecoach with his sister Anne Gloag in the early 1980s. The former bus conductor now employs 30,000 people in a company that has a £2bn annual turnover.
Helen Alexander, the CBI deputy president, was also on the annual honours list, which is drawn up to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday. Dame Helen, who is also chairman of the Port of London Authority, is recognised for her services to business.
Standard Chartered bank chairman John Peace receives a knighthood for services to business and to the voluntary sector, whilst JP Morgan Cazenove chairman David Mayhew receives a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) decoration.
Other prominent City figures include J Sainsbury chief executive Justin King, who received a CBE for services to retailing.
Entertainers honoured included former Generation Game presenter Bruce Forsyth, who was made a Sir, and actor Colin Firth, who played George VI in hit UK film The King’s Speech, who was awarded a CBE.
RETAILERS AND BANKERS GET RECOGNITION
STANDARD Chartered bank chairman John Peace was knighted in the Queen’s birthday honours list. The philanthropist is also chairman at retailer Burberry.
He joins a long list of City personalities recognised in the annual awards.
Network Rail chief executive and former London Olympics Delivery Authority head David Higgins also received a knighthood.
John McDonough, chief executive of construction and support services group Carillion, has been handed a CBE.
John Meredith, managing director at Hutchison Port Holdings, has also been given a CBE.
Helen Brand, chief executive of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, has been given an OBE.
Nicholas Robertson, chief executive of online fashion firm ASOS, also gets an OBE.