Vicky Davies will this summer to stand down from her role as chief executive of Danske Bank UK after five years.
Following a carefully planned succession process, she will be succeeded on July 1 by Julie-Ann Haines, whose most recent role was as chief executive of Principality Building Society, the biggest financial services organisation in Wales.
Ms Davies joined Danske Bank in 2012 and has been a board member for 10 years, including the past five as CEO, most recently presiding over a record-breaking set of results, when the bank reported deposits of £12.4 billion and a 12% increase in pre-tax profit of £250.4 million during 2025, a year in which she was awarded an OBE for services to the Northern Ireland economy.
“It’s been a huge privilege to lead Danske Bank and to work with so many fantastic colleagues,” she said.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, supporting customers in both Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK. I look forward to working closely with Julie-Ann during the transition and I know the bank will benefit from her experience, leadership and values.”
Danske Bank UK chair Martin Stewart said: “We are extremely grateful to Vicky for her outstanding contribution over her five-year tenure as CEO, during which she has led the bank with drive, purpose and a clear strategic vision. When she leaves her post in July, she will do so in the knowledge that Danske Bank is in robust health and well positioned for future growth.”
He added: “In Julie-Ann Haines, we have appointed a proven leader who is widely respected across the financial services industry. She is someone who has extensive customer-focused leadership experience, combined with a track record of delivering commercial and operational success.”
Ms Haines, who has a Northern Irish family background and was raised in Scotland, will become only the second female chief executive in Danske Bank’s 200-year history.
Vicky Davies is standing down as chief executive of Danske Bank in July. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN
Her early career included roles at Sainsbury’s, Halifax Bank of Scotland and Reckitt Benckiser, a global consumer goods company. She then spent 18-years at Principality Building Society where she held various management positions, including head of strategy, director of IT and chief customer officer – before rising to CEO in 2020.
She stepped down from that role in November last year, in preparation for taking up the position at Danske Bank.
She has also held several notable non-executive appointments. She served on former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Business Council, is a former chair of the UK Building Societies Association and is a member of Business in the Community’s UK Leadership Council.
Julie-Ann said: “I am honoured to be joining Danske Bank in Northern Ireland. With roots dating back over 200 years, the bank is deeply embedded in local society and plays a vital role in the economy. I am looking forward to engaging with colleagues and customers in the weeks ahead, and to continuing the growth of Danske Bank in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK.”