“Dame Debbie has been first through some very significant doors, and she has spent her career helping others follow” – Paul Denton
Nationwide Building Society’s Scots-born chief executive Dame Debbie Crosbie has become the first woman to receive the Chartered Banker Institute’s lifetime achievement award.
Crosbie is only the fifth recipient of the award, which is conferred in exceptional circumstances on individuals whose careers have made a “profound and lasting contribution to professional standards in banking and to wider society”.
In 2015, as chief operating officer of Clydesdale Bank, Crosbie became the first woman to sign Scottish banknotes, and in 2022 she became Nationwide’s first female chief executive, having led TSB from 2019. At Nationwide she is said to have championed purpose alongside performance, from leading the society through its acquisition of Virgin Money to introducing clinics for people with dementia in its branches.
Crosbie was made a Dame in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours for services to the financial sector and, as the UK government’s Women in Finance Champion since the start of 2026, is working to improve gender balance across UK financial services.
Paul Denton, president of the Chartered Banker Institute, said: “Dame Debbie has been first through some very significant doors, and she has spent her career helping others follow. That combination of achievement and advocacy, always anchored in high professional standards, will leave a legacy for generations of banking professionals to come. It is an honour to present this award to her.”
Crosbie said: “Professionalism, trust and excellent service are essential to long-term success in any business, but especially when people rely on you to look after their money. Being a fellow of the Chartered Banker Institute has helped me keep professional standards at the heart of my approach. That makes this recognition particularly special to me.”
She will receive her award at Banking Professionalism 360, the Institute’s flagship conference, where she will deliver a keynote address and take part in an interactive question and answer session next Tuesday, October 27. The conference takes place in London and online on October 27 and 28 exploring the theme “professionalism and trust in a changing world”.