Douglas Flint is chairman at Standard Life Aberdeen. His wide-ranging international and financial experience is an important asset to the business as it delivers against its strategy. His strong track record of board leadership as a chairman helps to facilitate open and constructive boardroom discussion. Previously, he served as chairman of HSBC Holdings plc from 2010 to 2017. For 15 years prior to this he was HSBC's group finance director, joining from KPMG where he was a partner. Between 2005 and 2011 he also served as a non-executive director of BP plc. In other current roles, he is chairman of IP Group plc and serves as HM Treasury's special envoy to China's Belt and Road Initiative. He is also a member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's international advisory panel, and of the board of the International Chamber of Commerce UK. Additionally, he is chairman of the Just Finance Foundation, non-executive director of the Centre for Policy Studies, member of the global advisory council of Motive Partners and board member of the Institute of International Finance. He also chairs the Corporate Board of Cancer Research UK and is a trustee of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. He holds a BAcc (Hons) from the University of Glasgow, a PMD from Harvard Business School and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He is a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar.