A former executive director of Highways England has been disqualified as a company director for Covid loan abuse.

Anna Daroy has also served as Director General of the Institute of Directors and a raft of senior roles across all industries.

She was Executive Director of Strategy and Planning at Highways England from 2015-17.

In 2020 she secured two maximum-value £50,000 Bounce Back Loans from separate banks for her management consultancy Globepoint Associates Ltd.

Daroy received the £100,000 in loan funds within a five-day period in May 2020.

The 61-year-old, of Abbots Morton, Worcestershire, was banned as a director for 11 years earlier this month.

Globepoint Associates Ltd went into liquidation in March 2023, with both Bounce Back Loans outstanding.

Kevin Read, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Anna Daroy abused the Bounce Back Loan Scheme by obtaining two loans when businesses were entitled to just one. When Daroy realised that her company had received double the amount of money it was allowed, she should have repaid one of the loans.

“Bounce Back Loans were designed to provide vital support to struggling businesses during the pandemic, not to be exploited by those who did not follow the terms of the scheme.

“As someone with such extensive experience in senior business leadership roles, Daroy should have known better than to break the rules.”

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Daroy, and her ban started this month.

It prevents her from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.