SIR VICTOR BLANK

EDUCATED at Stockport Grammar School and Oxford, Blank began his career with Clifford-Turner (now Clifford Chance), where he became an expert in takeover law and was made partner in 1969, at the age of 26.

Blank joined Charterhouse in 1981 as head of corporate finance, rising to serve as chairman and chief executive from 1985 to 1996, a role which put him at the centre of a string of high-profile corporate finance deals.

It was also the job that secured his financial comfort as he reaped the benefit of the Woolworths buyout he masterminded.

Before taking on the Lloyds chairmanship, Blank held a series of high-profile City roles. He was a director of Royal Bank of Scotland from 1985 to 1993 and chaired newspaper group Trinity Mirror between 1999 and 2006.

He was also chairman of GUS, owner of Argos, Homebase, Experian and Burberry, between 1993 and 2006, a job he left for the Lloyds role.

Imposing yet affable, Blank is a well-respected City veteran who has the ear of some of the most influential figures in business and politics, on both sides of the House.

His extensive connections spread into the world of sport too, where his passion for cricket has driven him to organise an annual match graced by legends of the game such as Ian Botham, Sunil Gavaskar and Michael Atherton.

He is also a fervent Manchester United supporter and a signed 1967 European Cup final football has pride of place in his Lloyds office in Gresham Street.

His charitable pursuits include chairmanship of the Wellbeing of Women charity and for a bank boss, he is also something of an eco-warrior, occasionally squeezing his impressive frame into a pint-sized G-Wiz electric car for jaunts around the City.