Top banker Peter Burt has been awarded a knighthood just six days before his retirement.

The Bank of Scotland executive deputy chairman retires on Monday from the bank he joined in 1975.

Mr Burt, 58, is being given the award for services to banking.

Peter Burt: Honoured for services to banking

Mr Burt said: "This honour is a reflection of the importance of the role that Bank of Scotland has played, not only in the financial world but also in the wider community.

"I am proud to receive this honour, and see it as recognition of the fantastic job my colleagues at all levels of the bank have done over the years."

Born in Kenya, he was educated in Edinburgh and graduated from St Andrews University.

He studied business in the United States and in 1968 jointed Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto, California, as an information systems analyst.

Two years later he joined a software company in Edinburgh as marketing director, and became managing director two years after that.

After a spell with a small merchant bank, Edward Bates and Sons, he joined the Bank of Scotland.

He rose through the ranks to become a joint general manager and head of its international division in 1985, and treasurer and chief general manager three years later.

He became group chief executive in 1996, and governor in September 2001.

After the merger between the bank and the Halifax, he became executive deputy chairman of HBOS.