The announcement has coincided with the record-breaking round-the-world yachtswoman receiving her Damehood from HM The Queen at Buckingham Palace.
An independent study by international researchers Hall & Partners has revealed that having MacArthur as the society’s masthead has made a huge splash with customers.
The research showed that MacArthur was recognised by 94 per cent of customers and 97 per cent of non-customers, with 84 per cent backing her as a highly appropriate celebrity to endorse the fairness brand.
Tony Capon, head of intermediary sales and development at The Derbyshire, said: “It’s a fantastic coup to have Ellen working with us and a personal honour to be able to congratulate her on her incredible achievement.
She was named recently in Times magazine’s list of the world’s top 100 “influential people”, alongside Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Thanks to Ellen we have a face to the world that is recognised and revered across the globe.”
Gordon Steyn, mortgage operations director at Thinc, said: “It’s a positive step for a regional lender such as the Derbyshire, with aspirations for higher sales performances to promote themselves with such an established and well-known figurehead.
“Trying to sell a Derbyshire product in Southampton will undoubtedly be aided by the face of Dame Ellen MacArthur.”
Rod Murdison, proprietor of Murdison & Browning, said: “I find it amusing that a landlocked county have chosen a yachtswoman as its figurehead.”
