Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia DBE CVO named as Business Secretary’s candidate for FRC Chair
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Published: 13 July 2026
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP, has today named Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia DBE CVO as the government’s preferred candidate for Chair of the Financial Reporting Council, succeeding Sir Jan du Plessis who steps down on 30 September.
Dame Jayne-Anne brings to the role a distinguished career spanning financial services, fintech and public service. A chartered accountant by training, she built her career across insurance, retail banking and fintech, most notably as CEO of Virgin Money from 2007 to 2018, where she led the acquisition of Northern Rock and the subsequent listing of the combined business. More recently she has been a founder and innovator in the fintech sector.
She currently serves as Chair of Moneyfarm, OVO and Shakespeare’s Globe, Lead NED at HMRC, Senior Independent Director at the Tate, Director at PRA Group and Innovo Group and an advisor to SumUp.
She is also a longstanding champion of diversity in financial services, having served as the UK Government's Women in Finance Champion for five years.
Her appointment comes at a significant moment for the FRC as the organisation has undergone substantial transformation under outgoing Chair Sir Jan du Plessis — improving audit quality, strengthening corporate governance and reporting standards, reforming its supervision and enforcement processes and establishing itself as a more focused, transparent and proportionate regulator.
Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Rt Hon Peter Kyle“Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia has a proven track record in driving growth and championing high standards in the organisations she leads, along with exceptional experience in financial services.
She is perfectly placed to lead the FRC at this important time and I look forward to working with her to boost confidence in British businesses.
Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia DBE CVO"I am honoured to be appointed Chair of the FRC at such an important time for the organisation and for the UK economy. Strong corporate governance, high-quality reporting and trusted audit are not abstract regulatory goals — they are the foundations on which businesses grow, investors commit capital and public confidence is maintained. The FRC has done impressive work in recent years to raise standards and modernise how it regulates and I look forward to working with Richard and the whole team to build on that progress.”
Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive of the FRC"I am delighted with Dame Jayne-Anne's appointment and look forward to working with her. Her exceptional experience, her deep understanding of what it takes to build and lead institutions that command public trust, and her commitment to the role the FRC can play in supporting our economy make her ideally suited to lead our Board.”
Dame Jayne-Anne’s nomination follows an open competition. The Business and Trade Committee will hold a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing and report on her suitability for the post, subject to which the Secretary of State will confirm the appointment.