The former chiefs of HSBC and Rolls-Royce have been knighted, as leaders from across the business world were recognised on the new year’s honours list.
Noel Quinn, 62, the banking group’s chief executive from 2019 until September, received a knighthood for services to finance and net zero. After leading HSBC through the Covid-19 pandemic he had implemented a turnaround plan which took the lender from underperformance to record profits in 2023. In 2020 he outlined HSBC’s goal of hitting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Warren East, 63, the former head of Rolls-Royce, also received a knighthood for services to the economy and net zero. He was in charge of the jet engine manufacturer between 2015 and 2022, steering it through a turbulent period for