The first woman to lead Northern Ireland’s largest bank, a cement industry veteran and one of the best known figures in northern hospitality are among the business figures recognised in King Charles’ birthday honours list.
Danske Bank chief executive Vicky Davies has been awarded with an OBE for services to the economy, while Hastings Hotels’ managing director James McGinn has been awarded with an MBE for services to tourism and hospitality.
Cement industry veteran David Millar has also been awarded an MBE for services to business and to the community in Northern Ireland.
Welsh-born Vicky Davies, who was named the first female chief executive of Danske Bank UK in its 200-year history in 2021, is also chair of Business in the Community NI.
“Danske Bank is a key stakeholder in the Northern Ireland economy, and we are very proud of the positive impact we make when it comes to driving local economic growth,” she said.
“I feel privileged to receive this honour, and I very much see it as a reflection of the everyday dedication and hard work my colleagues put in to serving the banking needs of local people and businesses.”
Co Tyrone native James McGinn, who was named Hastings Hotels’ managing director in 2022 after almost three decades with the hospitality group, has described his honour at the recognition.
“Tourism and hospitality is in my blood, and I’m thankful for the career I have built at Hastings Hotels for the last 30 years and for the opportunities provided to me by the Hastings family,” he said.
“I would also like to thank my colleagues across the group, because without them, this recognition wouldn’t be possible.”
A former executive with Lafarge, David Millar was a central figure in one of the northern cement industry’s biggest ever deals in 2022.
He joined the Loughran family’s LCC Group in a £56 million buyout of the Switzerland-headquartered construction materials giant Holcim’s Cookstown cement plant in 2022.
