She joined as a graduate, and was previously Deputy CEO of NatWest Holdings and CEO of RBS’s Commercial & Private Banking business.
Alison co-leads the UK government’s Rose Review Board, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Institute of International Finance. She is also a member of the International Business Council for the World Economic Forum, and Vice-Chair of Business in the Community (BITC). Alison is a Non-Executive Director of Great Portland Estates plc, and sits on the board of the Coutts Charitable Foundation. She was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire in the 2023 New Year’s Honours List.
I would urge companies to redouble their efforts to unlock vital sources of early stage funding, continue inspiring young girls into entrepreneurship and boost the business opportunities for female founders. Our recent Rose Review Progress Report found that in 2022, over 150,000 new businesses were founded, which is more than ever before. But there’s still more work to do. We know that unlocking the potential of female entrepreneurs is crucial to securing gender equity and that £250bn could be added to the UK economy if women matched men in starting and scaling businesses. We cannot be complacent, and from working together across the private and public sectors, we can shift the dial on supporting women to build thriving businesses which benefit the UK economy at large.