Damehood for former Virgin Money chief

Jayne-Anne Gadhia, the former boss of Virgin Money and one of the few women to have led a British bank, has been recognised in the Queen's New Year's honours list.

Jayne-Anne Gadhia was in charge for over a decade. Picture: Neil Hanna

Gadhia is to be made a Dame for her contribution to financial services and women in the finance industry. The Damehood will go with the CBE she received in 2014.

Gadhia oversaw Virgin Money’s £1.7 billion takeover by Clydesdale Bank-owner CYBG earlier this year before standing down from the challenger bank in October. She was chief executive of Virgin Money for more than a decade and is currently an adviser to the enlarged business.

She said: “I am very humbled to have been selected for this award and would like to thank everyone at Virgin Money for their work in serving customers and communities over the years, as well as the 300 financial services firms which have committed to improve gender diversity in their organisations by signing the Women in Finance Charter.”

Ann Gloag, the co-founder of Perth-headquartered transport giant Stagecoach, is also being made a Dame for her services to business and philanthropy having been awarded an OBE in 2004.

Graham Bell, from Argyll, has been awarded an OBE in recognition of his leadership in developing, supporting and promoting social enterprise. Bell was chief executive at the Kibble Group for 24 years, leading its growth from a small local organisation to one of the country’s major social enterprises.

He is now a founding director of The Leader (Scotland).