Chris Banks (businessman)

Christopher Nigel Banks CBE[1] (born 1959) is a British businessman.

He graduated from Birmingham University with a BA degree in Latin and French 1980. He graduated from Aston University with an MBA degree in 1981.[2]

In his business career, Banks had marketing and general management roles with Grand Metropolitan (now Diageo), Allied Domecq, HP Bulmer and Mars. He was Managing Director of Coca-Cola Great Britain from 1997 to 2001[3]. In 2004 he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Consumer Products, London).

In public life, he was Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council, Deputy Chair of the National Employment Panel, and a Commissioner for Women and Work. He is a founder of the Independent College Partnership. In 2011 he completed an independent review into fees and co-funding in Further Education. He is the Chair of the Public Chairs’ Forum (PCF). He is Chair of Directgov. He is the Deputy Pro-Chancellor of Birmingham University.[4][5][3]

Banks was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2003 for services to young people and the unemployed[3][1].

He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of the University (DUniv) by the University of Birmingham in 2012.[6]