Sir Victor Blank

Sir Maurice Victor Blank (born 1942) is an English businessman and philanthropist. He is the former Chairman of Lloyds TSB and the current chairman of several educational and charitable organisations including the Social Mobility Foundation, UJS Hillel and Wellbeing of Women. Background Early life and education Born in 1942, he was educated at Stockport Grammar School and then obtained an MA in Modern History at St Catherine's College, Oxford. Career In 1969, aged 26, Blank was made the youngest Partner in the history of legal firm Clifford-Turner (now Clifford Chance). At Clifford-Turner he specialised in corporate law, and co-wrote a textbook on mergers titled Weinberg & Blank on Take-overs and Mergers. He left Clifford Turner in 1981 to become Head of Corporate Finance at Charterhouse Bank (now part of HSBC), where he masterminded the buyout of Woolworth's. From 1985 to 1996 he held the posts of chairman and Chief Executive of Charterhouse. He was also a Director of the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1985 to 1993.