Adam Smith Business School

 

Benny Higgins is to take up a new role at the Adam Smith Business School as Honorary Professor.

 

He is Chair of National Galleries of Scotland and has a distinguished career in finance, including leadership roles at RBS, Tesco Bank and HBOS. Benny will work closely with the School in a range of ways including enthusing and supporting learning and teaching in the areas of leadership and financial management, lecturing and coaching students.

 

He said: “I am thrilled to be appointed as an Honorary Professor. The University of Glasgow has a special place in my heart, and it is a privilege to be offered this opportunity to contribute to its future well-being.”

Benny began his career at Standard Life in 1983 where he joined as an actuarial student and went on to become a member of the Standard Life Group Executive Committee in 1996. In 1997, he moved to RBS to become Chief Executive of Retail Banking. He was with RBS until 2005, during which time he led the successful integration of NatWest Retail Banking - one of the largest hostile takeover ever undertaken in banking. He became Chief Executive Officer of HBOS plc in 2006 before joining Tesco Bank as Chief Executive in 2008.

 

Under Benny’s leadership, Tesco Bank grew to become one of the most established ‘new’ banks in the UK, serving more than eight million customers and employing more than 4,000 people in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. In addition to his role at Tesco Bank, Benny was the Group Strategy Director for Tesco PLC, a member of the Tesco Executive Committee, and the Executive leader for global diversity. Benny retired from Tesco in February 2018.

 

In September 2017, Benny was invited by the Scottish Government to develop an implementation plan for the creation of a Scottish National Investment Bank. Subsequently he was appointed as Strategic Adviser to the First Minister on the building of the Scottish National Investment Bank.

 

Welcoming the appointment Professor John Finch, Head of the Adam Smith Business School said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Benny Higgins as Honorary Professor and welcome him to the Adam Smith Business School. He brings leadership experience at the highest levels in finance and will be a great asset. We look forward to his contribution and working with and learning from him.”

 

Benny is Chairman of Kyckr, Chairman of the National Galleries of Scotland, Chairman of Sistema Scotland, Non Executive Director of Glasgow Life, Trustee of Burrell Renaissance, Non Executive Director of Buccleuch Group, and Non Executive Director of Arabian Centres.

 

He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics from the University of Glasgow. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of bankers in Scotland, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He is a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University and Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University.