Social Entrepreneur & Banking Innovator

(1926 – 2021)

Alastair Hanton introduced Direct Debit to the UK, started National Girobank, founded the Fair Trade Foundation, and through his transport campaigning saved countless lives. He achieved a remarkable amount of change over a long life of enterprise & collaboration. 

Inventor of the direct debit

In 1964 after a long struggle with the banking establishment he succeeded in introducing his system to the UK and Direct Debit was born.

“I began with the name automatic debit transfer (ADT) and then during the
discussion we shortened that… direct debit was, well, more direct…”