Ex-HBOS chief Sir James Crosby has asked for his knighthood to be removed after he was criticised by the Banking Standards Commission over HBOS’s downfall during the financial crisis. He will also forgo 30 per cent of his pension and has resigned as a non-executive director of Compass Group. Here is his statement in full:
A personal statement from James Crosby
Friday’s report from The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards made for very chastening reading. Although I stood down as CEO of HBOS in 2006, some three years before it was taken over by Lloyds, I have never sought to disassociate myself from what has happened.
I would therefore like to repeat today what I said when I appeared in public before the Commission in December; namely that I am deeply sorry for what happened at HBOS and the ensuing consequences for former colleagues, shareholders, taxpayers and society in general.
Shortly after I left HBOS, I received the enormous honour of a Knighthood in recognition of my own – and many other people’s – contribution to the creation of a company which was then widely regarded as a great success. In view of what has happened subsequently to HBOS, I believe that it is right that I should now ask the appropriate authorities to take the necessary steps for its removal.
During the course of my 30-year career, including 12 years at Halifax and HBOS, I both contributed to and built up a substantial pension entitlement. This pension entitlement is entirely contractual in nature. However I have decided to forego 30% of my gross pension entitlement payable to me during the rest of my lifetime.* I will be discussing how this reduction is implemented, and whether the amount waived should go to support good causes, or benefit shareholders, with the pension scheme’s employer and trustees.
It is with great personal sadness that I have decided to stand down from my voluntary position as a Trustee of Cancer Research UK. They do remarkable work and it has been a great privilege and pleasure to have played my part. However I want to put their interests firmly before mine and would wish them every success in the future.
Throughout my business career I have always tried to act with integrity and to the best of my abilities. I have had the enormous privilege of working with people and organisations about whom I cared deeply. I would like to express my sincere regret for events and my appreciation for the personal support I have been shown. * The current annual pension payment amounts to c.£580,000 per annum.
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