HSBC Holdings plc (LON:HSBA) has announced the appointment of Dame Carolyn Fairbairn as an Independent non-executive Director, effective September 1, 2021. She will also be appointed as a member of the Group Remuneration Committee, Group Risk Committee and the Nomination & Corporate Governance Committee.

Dame Carolyn is a highly regarded business leader with a deep understanding of the macro economic and political environment. She has vast expertise in media, government and finance.

In addition to her most recent role as the Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry, which she held from 2015 to 2020, she has extensive FTSE board experience, including as non-executive Director of Lloyds Banking Group plc, The Vitec Group plc, and Capita plc. She has also previously served as a non-executive Director of the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Services Authority.

Dame Carolyn holds a BA in Economics from Cambridge University, an MA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA with distinction from INSEAD.

Commenting on the appointment, HSBC’s Group Chairman, Mark Tucker, said:

“Carolyn has had an exceptional career across numerous industries, both as an executive and non-executive. With the CBI, she demonstrated her ability to navigate and influence various stakeholder groups. This will be of great value to the Board in the increasingly uncertain environment we operate in today.

We look forward to her joining the Board later in the year and the insights and fresh perspectives she will bring to our Board discussions.”