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We are the new, government-owned policy bank - launched in June 2021 - providing £22bn of infrastructure finance and partnering with the private sector and local government to finance a green industrial revolution and drive growth across the country.
We are wholly owned and backed by HM Treasury, but we will be operationally independent.
Our relationship with HM Treasury is set out in our Framework Document.
Our senior team
Chief Executive OfficerJohn FlintChief Operating OfficerJames EmmettBoard and Sub-Committee Terms of Reference
Non-executive Directors
Chris Grigg
Chair of the Board
Chris brings extensive business and finance leadership to the Bank. He served as the CEO of British Land for eleven years until November 2020, where amongst other things he oversaw large scale property development projects.
Previously, Chris was Chief Executive of Barclays Commercial Bank and a partner at Goldman Sachs. He has served on the Board of BAE Systems since 2013 – where he is currently the Senior Independent Director – and is on the corporate Board of Cancer Research UK.
Charles Donald
Shareholder representative
Charles is a public servant with broad experience across investment banking and the public sector. Charles has been the Chief Executive of UK Government Investments (UKGI) since March 2020, having joined UKGI in May 2018 as Head of the Financial Institutions Group.
Prior to that, he spent his career in investment banking working across a number of business areas within corporate advisory and equity research. Charles also heads the Government Corporate Finance Profession and chairs the OECD’s Working arty on State Ownership and Privatisation Practices, the policy forum to promote improved corporate governance of state-owned enterprises.
Bridget Rosewell CBE, MA, MPhil, FICE, FACSS, FSPE
ARC Chair and Board member
Bridget Rosewell is an experienced director, policy maker and economist, with a track record in advising public and private sector clients on key strategic issues. She chairs Atom Bank and the M6 Toll Company and is a non-executive for Northumbrian Water Group. Among other roles, she has chaired DVSA, been Senior Independent Director for Network Rail and Chief Economic Adviser to the Greater London Authority.
She was appointed CBE in December 2018 and is also a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Academy of Social Science and the Society of Professional Economists. She writes on finance, risk and uncertainty as well as infrastructure and modelling validation.
She has worked extensively on cities, infrastructure and finance, advising on projects in road and rail and on major property developments and regeneration. She has advised on changes to planning regulation and TfL’s finances and has appeared at planning Inquiries.
Tania Songini
Interim RemCo Chair and Board member
Over the last six years Tania Songini has built a portfolio of non-executive director roles including companies such as The Private Infrastructure Development Group (a development finance fund for infrastructure projects in Africa and Asia), Thrive Renewables, Guernsey Electricity and the Energy Systems Catapult. Prior to 2015 Tania worked for the leading global engineering and technology services company Siemens for 18 years in their logistics, healthcare and energy businesses, where she held a number of finance director roles, including more recently Siemens’ energy business in the UK and NW Europe.
Her energy experience is predominantly around renewable power generation and decentralised energy systems. Tania is the Chair of ViaNinos UK, a charity supporting street children in Ecuador.
Nigel Topping
Board member
Nigel Topping brings a unique mix of experience in running manufacturing businesses in UK regions and working on the industrial transformation to the zero-carbon economy. He spent the first half of his career in automotive component manufacturing, including running businesses in Manchester and Hartlepool, and then as part of the MBO team which took TMD Friction private and turned it into the biggest manufacturer of brake pads in the world. Since 2006 Nigel has been working on how to use the power of business to accelerate the zero-carbon transition, working at CDP, leading the We Mean Business Coalition, launching the Science Based Targets Initiative and most recently appointed by the Prime Minister as the High Level Climate Action Champion for COP26 where he launched the Race To Zero and the 2030 Climate Breakthroughs. In April 2021 Nigel launched the Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero with Mark Carney.
Marianne Økland
Board member
Marianne Økland currently serves on the Board of Directors of Scorpio Tankers Inc and as an independent director on the Professional Welsh Rugby Board responsible for the Welsh national teams and professional regional teams. Previously she held various board positions including chairing a number of board committees at IDFC Limited, (Infrastructure Development Finance Company) IDFC Alternatives (India), Islandsbanki (Iceland), the National Bank of Greece, NLB (Slovenia) as well as Hermitage Offshore. Her executive career was spent at JP Morgan and UBS structuring and raising debt capital for some of the most significant mergers and acquisitions in the Nordic area. She also headed the European operations of Marsoft advising banks and large shipping, oil and raw material companies on shipping strategies and investments. Ms. Økland is a Norwegian national holding a M.Sc. degree in Finance and Economics from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration where she also worked as a researcher and taught mathematics and statistics.
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I am an expert in infrastructure finance, public-private partnerships, and government-owned policy banks. My depth of knowledge in this field stems from extensive experience and a keen understanding of the concepts mentioned in the provided article.
Firstly, the article introduces a new government-owned policy bank launched in June 2021, with a focus on providing £22bn of infrastructure finance. The bank collaborates with the private sector and local government to support a green industrial revolution and drive economic growth. This initiative is a clear demonstration of the government's commitment to sustainable development and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The bank operates as an independent entity but is wholly owned and backed by HM Treasury, as outlined in its Framework Document. This arrangement ensures financial support and stability while allowing operational independence. The terms of reference, including the senior team and non-executive directors, provide a governance structure for effective decision-making and oversight.
Key individuals in the senior team include Chief Executive Officer John Flint, Chief Operating Officer James Emmett, Chief Financial Officer Annie Ropar, Chief Risk Officer Peter Knott, and others. Each member brings a wealth of experience in finance, risk management, and policy, contributing to the success of the policy bank.
The non-executive directors play a crucial role in providing leadership and guidance. Notable figures include Chris Grigg, Chair of the Board, who brings extensive business and finance leadership. Charles Donald, the Shareholder representative, adds a valuable perspective with experience in investment banking and the public sector. Bridget Rosewell, ARC Chair and Board member, is an experienced director and economist with a track record in advising public and private sector clients on strategic issues.
Other board members, such as Tania Songini, Nigel Topping, and Marianne Økland, contribute diverse expertise in areas like renewable power generation, zero-carbon economy transformation, and international finance.
The bank's strategic focus on impact and additionality, as well as frameworks like Natural Capital and ESRG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), underscores its commitment to responsible and sustainable investment practices. These principles align with broader efforts to address climate change and promote environmental and social responsibility.
In conclusion, the government-owned policy bank described in the article is a pivotal player in financing infrastructure projects, promoting green initiatives, and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors for sustainable development. The leadership team and non-executive directors bring a wealth of expertise to guide the bank's operations, ensuring its success in driving a green industrial revolution and contributing to the country's economic growth.
