A senior banker who was a long-time adviser to City regulators in the run-up to the financial crisis has joined Virgin Money as a non-executive director, adding to speculation that the bank is sprucing itself up for a flotation within months.
The hiring of Olivia Dickson, a former JP Morgan banker, boosts the number of independent directors on the Virgin Money board to four, giving it added weight and credibility with outside shareholders, as well as regulators, in the event that it seeks an IPO.
It also brings the number of women on the ten-strong Virgin Money board to three, enabling it to exceed the target of 25 per cent female representation that it set itself last year.
Ms Dickson was a senior adviser to