Name
Bob Wigley
Job Title
Chairman
Company
UK Finance
Speaker Bio
Bob Wigley OStJ, Bsc, DBA (Hon), FCA, CCMI. Bob is Chairman of UK Finance Ltd. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority (Chairman of its Audit Committee), Lightico Ltd, R3 Ltd and Sureserve Ltd. He is an executive Member of Seraphim Space Enterprise LLP. He is a member of the Advisory Boards of The CityUK, Climate-X, Common Sense Media, Grant Thornton UK LLP, Cap10 Partners, Oliver Wyman and Remora Ltd. He sits on the UK's Economic Crime Strategic Board, Economic Security Public Private Forum, the Department for Business and Trade and Financial Services Advisory Panel, is the Financial Services Sector representative on the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement Group (the “J5”) and is a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers. He is an Honorary Professor of Kings College London Digital Futures Institute. Visiting Fellow of Oxford University’s Said Business School and an Honorary Fellow of Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. He supports St John’s Ambulance Development Board and is Vice Patron of the RMA the Royal Marines Charity. He is a Fellow of the King’s Responsible Business Council. He is a Founding investor in Margot Restaurant, Covent Garden. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a BSc in Business Administration and an Honorary Doctorate from Bath University. He is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. He is an Officer of the Order of St John.
Between 2018 and 2024, he was a member of Cancer Research UK’s Partnerships Board. During 2018/19 he was a Founder Commissioner of the Blockchain Commission for Sustainable Development. Between 2015 and 2021 he was a board member of Queens Club Ltd. During 2016 and 2017, Bob was Chairman of Victoria Beckham Ltd, developing a growth plan and securing an equity investment of £30m to fund it. Between 2015 and 2018, he was a NonExecutive Director of Nordengine Capital Ltd. Between 2013 and 2018 he sat on the Council of the Royal College of Music and chaired its £40m More Music Campaign. He was a member of the International Business Advisory Board of British Airways from April 2012 to Dec 2014. Between 2009 and early 2014 he was Chairman and led the restructuring of Yell (renamed hibu). He was an Ambassador for UK Business for the Prime Minister in 2011. He chaired the Green Investment Bank Commission for the Chancellor of the Exchequer during 2009/2010 which reported in July 2010. In 2008, he chaired a panel of leading London financial services company CEO’s for the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson producing a major report on how to maintain London’s competitiveness in global terms for the decade ahead and now sat during this period on the Mayor’s Panel of Economic Advisers. In 2007, he authored a report for the then Prime Minister on how to improve school governance using lessons from the corporate world. He is a Past Master of and Member of the Court of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.
Between 2006 and 2009, Bob was a member of the Court of the Bank of England and of its Risk policy and Audit Committees, prior to which he was a Non-Executive Director of Royal Mail Group plc and Chairman of its Audit Committee for 3 years. Between 2010 and 2014, he was Chairman of Expansys plc until it was taken private. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was the European Financial Services Operating Partner of Advent International. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was Chairman of the National Education Employer Partnership Taskforce. From 2009 until its takeover by Grainger Trust plc in 2010, Bob was Chairman of Sovereign Reversions plc. Between 2004 and 2010, he was Deputy Chairman of Business in the Community (the UK’s leading corporate social responsibility organization). Between 2009 and 2015, he was a member of the Cranfield School of Management’s Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility. Previous roles included being a Trustee of Terence Conran’s Design Museum for 7 years and a Trustee of the children’s wheelchair charity Whizz-kidz for 6 years.
In January, 2009, Bob resigned as Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa following the completion of the takeover by Bank of America. Since 2004, Bob had chaired Merrill Lynch’s EMEA Region Executive Committee with responsibility for a business with c$6bn of revenue, c$3bn of pretax income and 8,000 employees in 23 countries. He also sat on Merrill Lynch’s Global Operating Committee and Client Coverage Council. During this time, he was a member of the Senior Practitioner Committee of the Financial Services Authority, the FSA’s nominated representative on the Market Consultative Panel of the Council of European Securities Regulators, sat on the boards of LCH.Clearnet plc (Chairing its nomination committee) and Euroclear plc (and its strategy committee), was a member of the Chancellor’s “wise men” group representing key financial stakeholders in London, was a member of the Chairman’s Committee of the London Investment Banking Association, a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (and its remuneration committee) and on the EU Advisory Panel of the London Corporation. Previous roles at Merrill Lynch included Chairman of European Investment Banking, Global Head of Telecoms, Media and Technology Investment Banking, Head of UK Investment Banking and Head of Corporate Broking. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Bob was a Director of Deutsche Bank and previously of Morgan Grenfell where he spent the first ten years of his banking career.
Between 2018 and 2024, he was a member of Cancer Research UK’s Partnerships Board. During 2018/19 he was a Founder Commissioner of the Blockchain Commission for Sustainable Development. Between 2015 and 2021 he was a board member of Queens Club Ltd. During 2016 and 2017, Bob was Chairman of Victoria Beckham Ltd, developing a growth plan and securing an equity investment of £30m to fund it. Between 2015 and 2018, he was a NonExecutive Director of Nordengine Capital Ltd. Between 2013 and 2018 he sat on the Council of the Royal College of Music and chaired its £40m More Music Campaign. He was a member of the International Business Advisory Board of British Airways from April 2012 to Dec 2014. Between 2009 and early 2014 he was Chairman and led the restructuring of Yell (renamed hibu). He was an Ambassador for UK Business for the Prime Minister in 2011. He chaired the Green Investment Bank Commission for the Chancellor of the Exchequer during 2009/2010 which reported in July 2010. In 2008, he chaired a panel of leading London financial services company CEO’s for the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson producing a major report on how to maintain London’s competitiveness in global terms for the decade ahead and now sat during this period on the Mayor’s Panel of Economic Advisers. In 2007, he authored a report for the then Prime Minister on how to improve school governance using lessons from the corporate world. He is a Past Master of and Member of the Court of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.
Between 2006 and 2009, Bob was a member of the Court of the Bank of England and of its Risk policy and Audit Committees, prior to which he was a Non-Executive Director of Royal Mail Group plc and Chairman of its Audit Committee for 3 years. Between 2010 and 2014, he was Chairman of Expansys plc until it was taken private. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was the European Financial Services Operating Partner of Advent International. Between 2009 and 2011, Bob was Chairman of the National Education Employer Partnership Taskforce. From 2009 until its takeover by Grainger Trust plc in 2010, Bob was Chairman of Sovereign Reversions plc. Between 2004 and 2010, he was Deputy Chairman of Business in the Community (the UK’s leading corporate social responsibility organization). Between 2009 and 2015, he was a member of the Cranfield School of Management’s Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility. Previous roles included being a Trustee of Terence Conran’s Design Museum for 7 years and a Trustee of the children’s wheelchair charity Whizz-kidz for 6 years.
In January, 2009, Bob resigned as Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa following the completion of the takeover by Bank of America. Since 2004, Bob had chaired Merrill Lynch’s EMEA Region Executive Committee with responsibility for a business with c$6bn of revenue, c$3bn of pretax income and 8,000 employees in 23 countries. He also sat on Merrill Lynch’s Global Operating Committee and Client Coverage Council. During this time, he was a member of the Senior Practitioner Committee of the Financial Services Authority, the FSA’s nominated representative on the Market Consultative Panel of the Council of European Securities Regulators, sat on the boards of LCH.Clearnet plc (Chairing its nomination committee) and Euroclear plc (and its strategy committee), was a member of the Chancellor’s “wise men” group representing key financial stakeholders in London, was a member of the Chairman’s Committee of the London Investment Banking Association, a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (and its remuneration committee) and on the EU Advisory Panel of the London Corporation. Previous roles at Merrill Lynch included Chairman of European Investment Banking, Global Head of Telecoms, Media and Technology Investment Banking, Head of UK Investment Banking and Head of Corporate Broking. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Bob was a Director of Deutsche Bank and previously of Morgan Grenfell where he spent the first ten years of his banking career.