- Dame Amanda Blanc steps down as Women in Finance Champion
after 5 years in the role, with senior female representation
rising from 32% to 36% under her tenure
- Nationwide CEO Dame Debbie Crosbie appointed as new Women in
Finance Champion, as Government pushes for more women in senior
City roles.
The Chancellor has appointed Nationwide Building
Society CEO Dame Debbie Crosbie as the new Women in
Finance champion, as ministers step up the pressure on
the City to go further and faster on women's
progression to senior roles.
Dame Debbie succeeds Aviva CEO Dame Amanda Blanc, whose
tenure saw senior female representation in key finance
roles jump from 32% to 36% as well as leading the
charge on strengthening the pipeline for women into financial
services.
As Champion, Dame Debbie will continue to drive momentum behind
the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter, which covers more than
440 firms and aims to improve the representation of women in
senior leadership to boost the productivity and growth of UK
financial services.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, , said:
When I became Chancellor, I said my time in office would be a
success if more young women and girls knew there should be no
ceiling on their ambition and no limit to what they can
achieve.
The Women in Finance Charter is a key tool to achieve that
progress. I thank Amanda for her exceptional leadership over the
past 5 years, and look forward to working with Debbie as she
takes on the mantle.
Dame Amanda Blanc said:
I am incredibly proud of the progress made during my time as
Women in Finance Champion.
There is still plenty more to do to reach parity and I know that
Debbie will be a powerful driving force in bringing about further
progress and ensuring even more talented women are given the
opportunities they deserve to thrive and lead.
Dame Debbie Crosbie said:
When women succeed in business they inspire the next generation
and ensure economic growth is sustainable and inclusive. The
Charter is key to driving even more growth in financial services
and harnessing all of the sector's skills and
talents. I look forward to building on the excellent
progress made by Amanda, and working with the Chancellor and
across our industry to encourage even more growth and progress.
Over the last 5 years, Dame Amanda has driven progress in the
sector through developing a blueprint for change, advocating for
women in underrepresented spaces such as tech, strengthening the
talent pipeline through the Mirror Taskforce of talented
mid-level women, and convening leaders - including the Women in
Finance Climate Action Group for COP26 and Accountable Executive
Taskforce - to focus on greater gender parity.
Dame Debbie Crosbie will take up the Women in Finance Champion
role from 1 January 2026, serving in an unpaid, direct
ministerial appointment reporting to the Economic Secretary to
the Treasury.
Dame Debbie joined Nationwide as its first-ever female CEO in
June 2022 and was appointed a Dame Commander of the British
Empire (DBE) in June 2025 for services to the financial sector.
More information
- Established processes for the declaration and management of
interests have been followed in respect of this
appointment.
- The Terms of Reference for this appointment can be found
here: Terms of reference:
Debbie Crosbie (PDF, 57.8 KB, 2 pages)
