Virgin picks former RBS executives
VIRGIN Money has unveiled the full executive team that will be charged with embarking upon its “quest for better banking” for the high street – with a strong showing for staff formerly employed by bailed-out behemoth Royal Bank of Scotland.
The full lineup includes four senior managers who used to work at RBS, including chief executive Jayne-Anne Gadhia.
Finlay Williamson, formerly finance director in manufacturing at RBS, has filled the role of finance director, while Stephen Pearson, previously RBS’s head of litigation, moves into Virgin Money’s chief counsel role. Marketing director Paul Lloyds also comes from RBS.
Virgin Money yesterday marked the completion of its deal to buy chunk of the bailed-out lender Northern Rock by wheeling out its group founder, Sir Richard Branson.
Branson made an appearance at the Newcastle branch to shake hands with Gadhia before raising a toast and posing for a series of photos.
Branson said that going into high street banking followed on from Virgin’s trend of “going into markets where there’s been an opportunity to make things better for customers”.
The management will also include a former Northern Rock exec, Mark Parker, as chief operating officer; Pete Ball, from Bank of America, as commercial director; and a human resources chief from BP, Matt Elliot.