Bob Wigley

Biography

"Bob Wigley is Chairman of Tantalum Corporation plc, Justinvesting Ltd, Captive Minds Communications Group Ltd and NetOTC. He was previously Chairman of Hibu plc. In 2010, he was appointed Ambassador for UK Business by the Prime Minister and chaired the Green Investment Bank Commission for the Chancellor of the Exchequer looking at how the UK might fund its carbon emission reduction obligations. He is an investor in, and on the Advisory Board of, the venture capital firm Bluegem LLP, and a member of the Advisory Council of Business for New Europe. He is one of the leading practitioners from business, the media and other organisations who assist with research, programmes and events at the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation. He also chairs the Centre's Global Advisory Board.

"In 2008, he chaired a panel of leading London financial services company CEOs for the incoming Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, looking at how to maintain London's competitiveness in global terms for the decade ahead and now sits on the Mayor's panel of economic advisers. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and is a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a business degree and an honorary doctorate from Bath University. He is married with three children.

"In January, 2009, Bob resigned as Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe, Middle East and Africa following the completion of the takeover by Bank of America. Since 2004, Bob had chaired Merrill Lynch's EMEA Region Executive Committee and sat on Merrill Lynch's Global Operating Committee and Client Coverage Council. During this time, he also sat on the boards of LCH.Clearnet plc (chairing its nomination committee) and Euroclear plc (and its strategy committee); was a member of the Chancellor's "wise men" group, representing key financial stakeholders in London; was a member of the Chairman's Committee of the London Investment Banking Association; a member of the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers (and its remuneration committee); and on the EU Advisory Panel of the London Corporation. Previous roles at Merrill Lynch included Chairman of European Investment Banking, Global Head of Telecoms, Media and Technology Investment Banking, Head of UK Investment Banking and Head of Corporate Broking.

"Bob was a member of the Court of the Bank of England and of its Audit Committee, 2006-2009; he chaired the National Education and Employers’ Taskforce, 2009-2011."

Affiliations

• Advisory council, Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility
• Advisory council, TheCityUK
• Former chair, Business in the Community education committee