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David Duffy

b. 1965

Irish banker

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About David Duffy

Born 1965. David Duffy is a British and Irish banker.

David Joseph Duffy (born 30 September 1961) is an Irish banker, and a former chief executive officer (CEO) of Virgin Money UK.

Early life Duffy was born in Hammersmith Hospital in London and moved to Ireland at the age of two. After his parents split up he was raised in Terenure, south Dublin, by his father's sister and her husband, and at the age of 16 changed his surname by deed poll from Madden to avoid confusion. He attended Terenure College in Dublin from 1972 to 1980, followed by Trinity College Dublin where he earned a bachelor's degree in business in 1984, and then a master's degree. Duffy was the first person in his family to go to University.

Career Duffy began his career with management consulting firm, Craig Gardner, in Dublin in 1984, and has held various management roles, including global head and board positions at Goldman Sachs and ING Barings.

In 2006, Duffy joined Standard Bank as its CEO, and the following year was appointed CEO of Standard Bank International. He was responsible for corporate and investment banking activities, in addition to overseas retail business units. The role covered Asia, Latin America, the UK and Europe. He relocated to Singapore in 2010 where he was also head of strategic projects for Standard Bank.

Returning to Ireland in 2011, Duffy was appointed CEO of Allied Irish Banks (AIB Group plc),

Duffy joined Clydesdale Bank in June 2015 as CEO. In February 2016 he led the demerger and IPO of Clydesdale Bank from National Australia Bank, recreating an independent banking group, CYBG plc.

In July 2017, Duffy became a member of the board of UK Finance, a trade body representing over 300 firms in the UK providing banking, credit, markets and payment-related services.

On 15 October 2018, CYBG acquired Virgin Money UK for £1.7 billion. This was one of the first major deals in the banking sector since the 2008 financial crash. David remained CEO of the combined CYBG, which was renamed Virgin Money UK plc on 30 October 2019.

On 1 October 2024, as part of Nationwide Building Society's acquisition of Virgin Money UK plc, Duffy stepped down as its CEO and was replaced by Chris Rhodes, Nationwide's former Chief Financial Officer.

Personal life Duffy is married and has two daughters and a son. His wife is Carolyn, and they have residences in Cork, Dublin and London. Duffy is a keen sportsman and enjoys running, playing tennis and sailing.

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Important facts

Born
1965, Hammersmith
Birth century
Occupation
Education
Trinity College, Dublin, Terenure College, Trinity College Dublin
Also known as
David Joseph Duffy

People in David Duffy's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped David Duffy's

Frequently asked questions

Who is David Duffy?

Irish banker

When was David Duffy born?

David Duffy was born in 1965 in Hammersmith.

What is David Duffy's occupation?

David Duffy is a banker.

What nationality is David Duffy?

David Duffy is British and Irish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: David Duffy

· Wikidata: Q55609100

· DBpedia: David Duffy (banker)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). David Duffy. https://biography.guide/david-duffy-banker/

MLA: "David Duffy." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/david-duffy-banker/.

Chicago: "David Duffy." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/david-duffy-banker/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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