Overview of Ann Heron Gloag

Businesswoman and philanthropist. Educated at Perth High School, Ann Gloag trained to be a nurse before establishing the Stagecoach bus company with her brother Brian Souter (1980). Stagecoach are 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 and she is 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 take a back-seat in the running of the company.

Gloag owns 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.