CRH, the building materials giant, has appointed UK- based former investment banker Lucinda Riches to its board. Ms Riches will take up her non-executive role on March 1st, CRH said yesterday.

Ms Riches is a 21-year veteran of Swiss financial institution UBS Investment Bank, where she worked until 2007. An Oxford graduate, she currently sits on the board of UK Financial Investments, which owns and manages the British government's stakes in banks such as Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland that it acquired via a series of bailouts during the financial crisis.

She also holds board seats on a number of trusts and charitable bodies.

CRH recently announced the €6.5 billion acquisition of assets from Lafarge and Holcim.