John McFarlane

John McFarlane OBE, born on June 14, 1947, in Dumfries, Scotland, is a prominent British businessman with a distinguished career in banking. He attended Dumfries Academy and pursued higher education at the University of Edinburgh, Cranfield, and London Business School. McFarlane began his professional journey in manufacturing with Ford of Europe in 1969 before transitioning to banking. His career at Citibank spanned eighteen years, culminating in roles as head of Citibank in Ireland and the UK. He later served as Group Executive Director of Standard Chartered Plc., based in London and Hong Kong. In the late 1990s, he became CEO of Australia’s ANZ Bank, where he implemented a turnaround strategy known as "Breakout," improving the bank's financial performance. After retiring from ANZ in 2007, he joined Royal Bank of Scotland as a non-executive director and later Aviva plc., becoming chairman in 2012. McFarlane has held significant roles in international banking forums, including president of the International Monetary Conference and chairman of the Australian Bankers' Association. He also served on the Bank of England Financial Law Review Panel and chaired The McFarlane Report on auditing standards in the UK and Ireland. In 2013, he was appointed chairman of FirstGroup and became Barclays’ chairman in 2014, serving until May 2019. In 2020, he joined Westpac as chairman, a role he held until December 2023. Recognized for his contributions to finance, McFarlane received the OBE in 1995 and Australia’s Centenary Medal in 2001. He is also a fellow of several banking institutions and ...