Barclays 2009 Annual Report Download - page 11

www.barclays.com/annualreport09 Barclays PLC Annual Report 2009 09
– Banks must recognise that we must earn once more
the confidence and trust of key stakeholders such as
customers and clients, employees, shareholders,
regulators, politicians and society in general
– Barclays focus in 2009 was to maintain strategic
momentum despite the difficult environment
Board changes
There have been a number of Board changes during the year with five
Directors leaving the Board and two new non-executive Directors being
appointed. I stated in last year’s report that Sir Nigel Rudd and Professor
Dame Sandra Dawson would retire at the 2009 Annual General Meeting.
Stephen Russell retired in October after nine years’ dedicated service,
including six years’ sterling work as Chairman of the Board Audit Committee.
Patience Wheatcroft retired from the Board in order to take up a position as
Editor in Chief, Wall Street Journal Europe. All made a valuable contribution,
particularly during the recent crisis, and we wish them well. Amongst the
executive Directors, we were sad to see Frits Seegers leave the Group in
November following changes to the structure of the Group. On behalf of the
Board, I would like to thank Frits for his significant efforts on Barclays behalf
and wish him success for the future.
We appointed two new non-executive Directors during the year, Simon
Fraser and Reuben Jeffery. Simon brings valuable experience from his time as
Chief Investment Officer for Fidelity International and Reuben has extensive
experience in investment banking, regulation and government services.
Marcus Agius
Group Chairman
9th March 2010
£35bn of new lending to UK
households and businesses
of all sizes
Barclays continues to support businesses throughout
the downturn
Local businesses and start-ups supported through the
Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG)
At the beginning of 2009, we committed to making an
additional £11bn new credit available to the UK economy.
At the end of 2009, the actual figure was over £35bn
with around half to businesses, including support for
more business start-ups in 2009 than for many years.
A particular focus has been on viable local businesses that,
because they cannot offer sufficient security to meet normal
commercial lending, would not otherwise be able to obtain finance
for their business to survive and grow.
We announced a further £88m in early 2010 to lend through
the EFG, to help more businesses obtain finance. Under the
scheme the Government guarantees a proportion of the lending if
the customer is unable to repay the debt and loans are available to
businesses with sales turnover of up to £25m operating in the UK.
We have worked closely with the Government on the scheme
and have already made available over £150m in EFG loans in the
last year.
We have been a leading supporter of support schemes
for local businesses since the downturn began. In addition to
providing nearly one in every four EFG loans across the UK last
year, we continued to provide loans receiving European Investment
Bank (EIB) support in 2009 with over £330m of finance approved
as eligible for EIB cash back.
For more information on Barclays lending
go to www.barclays.com/annualreport09