John Ott is an experienced business consultant with more than 40 years in financial services, regulation, and strategic advisory. He became Chair of The Rank Group plc on 17 November 2024, succeeding Alex Thursby. Ott has been a Senior Advisory Partner at Bain & Company’s UK arm since 2006, where he leads the Financial Services practice, focusing on retail and wholesale banking, insurance, and private equity.
His expertise spans restructuring, international growth, M&A, and change management across Europe, Asia, and North America. Prior to Bain, Ott served as Group Strategy and M&A Director at Barclays Bank, was a Partner at McKinsey & Company, and held the role of Assistant Vice President at US Bancorp. He has also been a founder, investor, and board member for private businesses including Funding Xchange (fintech) and The Hideaways Clubs (fractional ownership).
Ott is a frequent speaker at financial services conferences and has been quoted in The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNBC. He holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from The Johns Hopkins University (Italy and Washington, DC) and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Carleton College (USA).
Career History
| Company | Role | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| The Rank Group | Chair of the Board of Directors | – present |