Businesswoman and philanthropist. Educated at Perth High School, Ann Gloag worked as a nurse in Bridge of Earn Hospital before establishing the Stagecoach bus company with her husband, Robin, and brother Brian Souter (1980). Stagecoach is now one of the most successful independent transport operators in the UK, and operates services in seven other countries.
Gloag and her brother have a combined wealth of £1.3 billion. She was ranked as Scotland's richest woman and one of the top-50 female entrepreneurs in the world. Gloag's son, who would have inherited a substantial share of the Stagecoach empire, committed suicide in 1999 and, the following year, she announced she would withdraw from her executive role in the company.
Gloag owns both Kinfauns Castle (Perth & Kinross) and Beaufort Castle (Highland). Through her Balcraig Foundation, she has been a generous contributor to various charities, including a gift of £4 million to support 'Mercy Ships', a US-based charity that converts old car ferries into floating hospitals. She was honoured with an OBE recognising her charitable works (2004) and was listed as one of Scotland's most powerful women in the same year. Gloag was awarded an honorary degree by Edinburgh Napier University in 2005 and the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal in 2011. The following year, she endowed a Chair in Global Health Implementation at the University of St. Andrews, focusing on sub-Saharan Africa.
