Ann Gloag
Encyclopedia
Ann Gloag, OBE
(born Ann Heron Souter on 10 December 1942 in Perth
), is a Scottish
business woman and charity campaigner.
, she qualified as a nurse and during a 20 year career worked as a burns unit sister.
, joined later by her brother, chartered accountant Brian Souter
. Some £25,000 of her father's severance money was used to purchase two small buses. Later the company expanded to offer cheap journeys between Dundee and London. They initially offered sandwiches (provided by her and her mother), blankets, and tea. The company was renamed "Stagecoach Express Services", and subsequently became Stagecoach Group
. Her involvement in Stagecoach has diminished in recent years, although she remains a non-executive director
.
(through her Highland & Universal Investments company) and a chain of petrol stations and other property interests through a shareholding in Moncrieffe Holdings. She was also an investor in Cambridge
-based regional airline Scot Airways but sold this shareholding on 18 September 2006.
and Opportunity International
. She was appointed OBE in the 2004 New Year's Honours List for her services to charity. In 2005 Edinburgh Napier University awarded her an honorary doctorate. In honour of her late son she runs a charitable school in Nairobi
, Kenya
, the Jonathan Gloag Academy.
near Inverness
since 1995, and Kinfauns Castle
, near Perth
since 2004. She has attempted to block off private access at Kinfauns in a high profile case. On 12 June 2007 she was successful in gaining a court ruling that she was legally entitled to bar the public from a swath of woodland in the grounds of Kinfauns Castle.
Her ex-husband Robin Gloag
was killed in a car crash on 6 December 2007. Their son, Jonathan, died in 1999, aged 28.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born Ann Heron Souter on 10 December 1942 in Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
), is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
business woman and charity campaigner.
Biography
Educated at Caledonian Road Primary School and Perth High SchoolPerth High School
Perth High School is a six-year, non-denominational comprehensive secondary school, located in Perth, Scotland. Established in 1950 at Gowans Terrace in a post-war prefabricated structure of a type which had not previously been used for any large school in Scotland, the school relocated to its...
, she qualified as a nurse and during a 20 year career worked as a burns unit sister.
Stagecoach
Gloag founded bus company "Gloagtrotter" in October 1980 with her then-husband Robin GloagRobin Gloag
Robin Nicol Gloag was one of the founders, with Brian Souter and Ann Gloag, of Stagecoach Group, one of the United Kingdom's largest transport businesses.-Career:...
, joined later by her brother, chartered accountant Brian Souter
Brian Souter
Sir Brian Souter , is a Scottish businessman. He is the co-founder of the Stagecoach Group, along with his sister, Ann Gloag. He is also widely known for his controversial public statements and for his attempt to keep Section 28 in law, which led to widespread accusations of homophobia...
. Some £25,000 of her father's severance money was used to purchase two small buses. Later the company expanded to offer cheap journeys between Dundee and London. They initially offered sandwiches (provided by her and her mother), blankets, and tea. The company was renamed "Stagecoach Express Services", and subsequently became Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
. Her involvement in Stagecoach has diminished in recent years, although she remains a non-executive director
Non-executive director
A non-executive director or outside director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive management team. He or she is not an employee of the company or affiliated with it in any other way...
.
Other business interests
Gloag also has investments outside Stagecoach Group with her brother, including bus builder Alexander DennisAlexander Dennis
Alexander Dennis Limited is the largest bus builder in the United Kingdom. It incorporated the three last surviving bus manufacturers which started bus production before World War II: Dennis, Alexander and Plaxton.- History :Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus on 1 January 2001, after the...
(through her Highland & Universal Investments company) and a chain of petrol stations and other property interests through a shareholding in Moncrieffe Holdings. She was also an investor in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
-based regional airline Scot Airways but sold this shareholding on 18 September 2006.
Charity works
Gloag now devotes a significant amount of her time to charity interests, including support for Mercy ShipsMercy Ships
Mercy Ships is an international charity that was founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens. Mercy Ships currently operates the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, providing free health care, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs,...
and Opportunity International
Opportunity International
Opportunity International is an organization that provides small business loans, savings, insurance and training to more than two million people working their way out of poverty in the developing world...
. She was appointed OBE in the 2004 New Year's Honours List for her services to charity. In 2005 Edinburgh Napier University awarded her an honorary doctorate. In honour of her late son she runs a charitable school in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, the Jonathan Gloag Academy.
Personal life
Gloag has owned Beaufort CastleBeaufort Castle, Scotland
Beaufort Castle is a castle in northern Scotland, near Beauly. It is the traditional seat of the chiefs of the Clan Fraser.-History:The original castle was built by the Byset family. The castle came into the hands of the Fraser's in the late 13th century...
near Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
since 1995, and Kinfauns Castle
Kinfauns Castle
Kinfauns Castle was designed by Robert Smirke and built between 1822 and 1826 by Lord Gray on the site of a medieval stronghold. It is situated in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and is currently occupied by Scottish businesswoman Ann Gloag. The house is protected as a category A listed building, and...
, near Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
since 2004. She has attempted to block off private access at Kinfauns in a high profile case. On 12 June 2007 she was successful in gaining a court ruling that she was legally entitled to bar the public from a swath of woodland in the grounds of Kinfauns Castle.
Her ex-husband Robin Gloag
Robin Gloag
Robin Nicol Gloag was one of the founders, with Brian Souter and Ann Gloag, of Stagecoach Group, one of the United Kingdom's largest transport businesses.-Career:...
was killed in a car crash on 6 December 2007. Their son, Jonathan, died in 1999, aged 28.