Board of Directors

Board Chair

Jeff was appointed to the Board as a non-executive director in March 2024.  Jeff is a Chartered Accountant and was a partner at PwC from 1991 to 2019 in the banking and capital markets sector, including 3 years in New York and a secondment to the Bank of England. He has extensive experience of accounting, risk and controls in financial services and recently served on the Board of a start-up bank.  He is Treasurer for the Safer Neighbourhood Board in Richmond which acts as a link between the local community and the police. Jeff strongly believes that the forward thinking modern mutual has a key role to play in actively supporting communities, putting customers at the heart of everything and focusing on the needs of current and future members.

Chief Executive

Paul is the Chief Executive of the Society and assumed this role in April 2020. He has been with the Society for a number of years having joined as Finance Director in 2011. Paul has extensive senior leadership experience having operated as Deputy CEO at the Society as well as previously holding senior roles at Next plc, Alliance & Leicester plc and East Midlands Development Agency. Paul is a Chartered Accountant and a strong believer in mutuality, considering it possible to offer quality products and competitive rates whilst giving both financial and physical support to their local community.

Finance Director

Dan is a Chartered Accountant with significant finance experience, having previously held senior management positions at Capital One and Experian plc. He joined the Society in 2019 and is passionate about the mutual model and the way it can serve its local community. He believes finance should be centred on improving people’s lives.

Director and Vice Chair

Nick was appointed to the Board as a non-executive director in January 2017. Nick has more than 40 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including mutual organisations. Nick’s principal qualifications are in marketing and management, however, he also holds a number of mortgage related qualifications. With a passion for appropriate consumer outcomes and increasing professional standards Nick has worked with various regulators, including those responsible for the early shaping of mortgage regulation. Nick is also contactable by Society employees as our Whistleblowers’ Champion.

Director

Lucy was appointed to the Board as a non-executive director in July 2020.  She is also a Board member of the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. Much of her experience comes from almost two decades as a financial services regulator on both prudential and conduct of business issues in roles spanning Authorisation, Supervision, Operations, and Risk. More recently Lucy has consulted with clients on good governance as well as delivery of Board/Executive level development interventions. Passionate about improving financial capability across all age and socio-economic groups, she is committed to the benefits of mutuality.

Director

Rachel was appointed to the Board as a non-executive director in December 2021. Rachel is a customer-focussed leader with extensive experience in financial services. She is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee for Mortgage Advice Bureau, and a Non-Executive Member of the Phoenix Independent Governance Committees covering the Phoenix, Standard Life and Reassure brands. Rachel’s experience spans Strategy, Marketing, Digital transformation, Risk Management and Cultural leadership and previous roles included Customer Experience Director for Coventry Building Society. Rachel believes commercial success is best achieved by providing customers with the best possible outcomes. She is committed to the mutual building society model and the opportunity it provides to engage with members.

Director

Neil was appointed to the board as a non-executive director in March 2025. During his executive career he held senior and board level digital roles in a range of businesses, predominantly in retail and consumer sectors, leading digital transformation and ecommerce. Neil is an independent board advisor, a Trustee at Shaw Education Trust and a NED at Shepherds Friendly Society, where he also chairs the Board Risk Committee. Neil believes that mutuals offer an important point of difference in the market, prioritising member needs and community support over profits.