David Clementi
Sir David Clementi | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1949 |
| Occupation(s) | Corporate leader, banker |
| Known for | Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Chairman of Prudential plc, Chairman of the BBC |
Sir David Cecil Clementi (born 25 February 1949) is a distinguished British corporate leader, having held positions such as deputy governor at the Bank of England, as well as chairman roles at Prudential plc and the BBC.
In March 2008, he took on the role of warden at Winchester College and was appointed Master of the Mercers' Company in 2010.
Early life
Born on 25 February 1949, David Clementi is the son of Cresswell Clementi, who served as an air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force. His lineage includes his grandfather Sir Cecil Clementi, who governed Hong Kong from 1925 to 1930 and the Straits Settlements between 1930 and 1934. Additionally, his great-great-grandfather was the Swiss-Italian composer Muzio Clementi. On his maternal side, his grandfather Sir Henry Pelham held the position of Permanent Secretary at the Board of Education from 1931 until 1937.
Clementi received his education at Winchester College, where he distinguished himself in athletics and football. He then pursued Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Lincoln College, Oxford, earning a blue for athletics during his tenure. In 1968, he represented Great Britain’s Junior athletics team. Following qualification as a chartered accountant, he completed an MBA at Harvard Business School in 1975, graduating as a Baker Scholar.
Career
Upon finishing his studies at Harvard Business School, Clementi embarked on a 22-year tenure with investment bank Kleinwort Benson, culminating in his appointment alongside Nicholas Redmayne as joint chief executives of investment banking in 1994. Colleagues affectionately referred to him there as "The Duke."
From 1997 to 2002, he fulfilled the role of Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. Subsequently, he chaired Prudential plc between 2002 and 2008 and served as chairman of Virgin Money from 2011 until 2015. His tenure as Chairman of the BBC spanned February 2017 to February 2021.
His board experience is extensive, including positions such as non-executive director at Rio Tinto Group (2003–2010), Non-Executive Director at Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust (2008–2012), vice-chairman at Ruffer LLP (2011–2017), chairman of World First (an international payments company) from 2011 to 2018, and chairman of King's Cross Central, overseeing regeneration projects from 2008 through to 2024.
Clementi also played a significant role in shaping governance and regulatory frameworks for the UK government. In 2003, he led an independent examination of legal services regulation in England and Wales that produced the notable Clementi report in 2004. Later, in 2015, he was tasked with reviewing governance and regulation structures at the BBC, issuing recommendations a year later.
In recognition of his services to business and public administration, he was knighted in 2004.
Personal life
On 23 September 1972, Clementi married Sarah Louise Cowley, daughter of Dr Anthony Beach Cowley and Mary Mabel Bebington. They have two children: a daughter named Anna Lucy (born 26 November 1976) and a son named Thomas Cowley (born 17 April 1979).