Sky News has learnt that Richard Meddings, whose financial services pedigree includes stints at TSB and Deutsche Bank, is among a small number of contenders to replace Baroness Shriti Vadera as the Pru’s chairman.
City sources said on Wednesday that the search process was at an advanced stage, although it was unclear how many candidates remained in talks with the company and its advisers.
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Mr Meddings would be a logical choice for the job, given his extensive boardroom experience and, more importantly, his tenure as chief financial officer of Standard Chartered, the emerging markets lender.
Although it is listed in London, the Pru no longer has any meaningful UK operations, having demerged M&G Investments in 2019.
It is now an Asia-led financial services group, with a market capitalisation of just over £28bn.
The Pru is in the process of taking its Indian joint venture public via a separate listing, a decision which has prompted a rise in its own share price.
Mr Meddings was chairman of NHS England for three years, having been appointed in 2022.
His other public service roles have included a seven-year stint as a non-executive director of the Treasury.
A spokesman for Prudential declined to comment, while Mr Meddings did not respond to a request for comment.
