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Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, the former Virgin Money chief executive who was appointed as the Women in Finance Champion of the British government in November 2016, is coming onboard customer relationship management (CRM) giant Salesforce to serve as UK and Ireland (UKI) CEO.
Made a Dame in the 2019 New Year Honours list, Gadhia was the major name tapped by the government four years ago to lead a review into the representation of women in senior managerial roles in financial services. The review’s recommendations in 2016 paved the way for the HM Treasury’s launch of the Women in Finance Charter.
Now the experienced business leader and finance authority, who was at the helm of Virgin Money from 2007 to 2018, will be taking on the top post at Salesforce UKI effective October 01 amid the global company’s rapid growth in the market. In the UK, for instance, Salesforce has increased headcount, data centre capacity, and office space in support of its expanding clientele.
The portfolio of the California-headquartered enterprise includes insurance CRM offerings.
“I’ve admired Salesforce from afar for a long time,” commented Gadhia on her appointment. “This is a different kind of business, with deeply held values and a true focus on transforming the experience of every customer through cutting-edge technology. I’m looking forward to working with the team as we continue to invest and support Salesforce’s growing customer base in UKI.”
Meanwhile, in a joint statement, co-chief executives Marc Benioff – who also serves as chair – and Keith Block said: “Jayne-Anne is one of the most respected CEOs in the UK and we are thrilled to welcome her to Salesforce.
“The UKI is our largest market outside the US and with Jayne-Anne’s leadership we are well positioned to move into the next stage of growth and success for Salesforce, our customers, partners, and communities.”
Gadhia, a Norwich Union (now Aviva) alumnus who also spent time at The Royal Bank of Scotland, was named Leader of the Year at the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards in 2018.
