Standard Life Aberdeen welcomes Douglas Flint as chairman
Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) ended its hunt for a new chairman earlier today after hiring industry heavyweight Sir Douglas Flint.
The Scottish-born former accountant, who stepped down as chairman of HSBC in September last year, is set to succeed Sir Gerry Grimstone at the start of next year.
Last year Flint was also appointed as the Treasury’s special envoy for China’s Belt and Road initiative.
Simon Troughton and Melanie Gee, co-chairs of SLA’s appointments committee, said Sir Douglas’ record as a chairman and international experience made him an ideal candidate to help expand the business globally. “We undertook a rigorous and comprehensive international search to identify Sir Gerry’s successor and we are very pleased that Sir Douglas will join the board,” the duo said in a statement.
Sir Gerry Grimstone commented: "Douglas will make an excellent chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen. I have had the enormous privilege of serving this Company for over 15 years, and been its Chairman for over 11 years. It is a fine company with the most brilliant employees all committed to serving our customers and clients. They all have my very best wishes for the future."
SLA said at the start of this year that Grimstone would stand down as chairman by no later than the end of 2019.