Management
Nationwide is run day-to-day by a senior management team overseen by an elected Board of Directors.
Board of Directors
Mark Nicholls (standing, extreme right) stepped down from the Board with effect from 31 December 2009.
Geoffrey Howe
Chairman
Geoffrey Howe joined the Board in 2005 and became Chairman of the Society in July 2007. He brings considerable regulatory, management and legal experience to the Board. He is currently Chairman of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc and a Director of Investec plc. Geoffrey was formerly Chairman of Railtrack Group plc, a Director and General Counsel of Robert Fleming Holdings Limited and Managing Partner of international law firm Clifford Chance.
Graham Beale
Chief Executive
Graham Beale joined the Society in 1985. He is a chartered accountant by training and was appointed to the Board as Group Finance Director in April 2003. He took up his current role as Chief Executive in April 2007. He is also a non executive director of Visa Europe Limited and Visa Europe Services. Prior to his appointment to the Board, he worked extensively in the Finance function and held a number of senior, general management positions within the Society.
Suzanna Taverne
Non-Executive Director
Suzanna Taverne joined the Board in 2005. She brings considerable expertise in strategy, finance and management. She is currently a Director of FCE Bank plc, a Trustee of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service and the Design Museum and Chair of Gingerbread. Suzanna was formerly a Director of Imperial College London, Managing Director of the British Museum, Director of Strategy at Pearson plc, Finance Director of The Independent and also worked for Saatchi and Saatchi plc and S.G. Warburg & Co Limited.
Mark Rennison
Group Finance Director
Mark Rennison is a chartered accountant who joined the Society and was appointed to the Board in February 2007. He is responsible for Finance, Treasury, Risk Management, Business Protection and Internal Audit. He is a Director of various Society subsidiaries. Prior to his appointment, Mark was a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he worked in the financial services practice with a specific focus on retail and corporate banking. He has also worked extensively with group treasury operations, leasing and asset finance businesses.
Stella David
Non-executive Director
Stella David joined the Board in 2003 and became Chairman of the Remuneration Committee in 2006. She brings considerable expertise in marketing, general management, branding and the management of consumer goods. She is the Global Chief Marketing Officer for the international drinks group Bacardi Limited and prior to this she was Vice President of its Global Operations.
Robert Walther
Joint Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director
Robert Walther joined the Board in 2002 and became Deputy Chairman in 2006 and Joint Deputy Chairman in August 2007. His background is in investment and insurance. Robert is currently Chairman of Nationwide, Portman, Derbyshire and Cheshire Pension Funds and Fidelity European Values plc and a non executive director of BUPA. He was formerly Chief Executive of Clerical Medical from 1995 to 2001 which he joined in 1965.
Bill Tudor John
Joint Deputy Chairman
Bill Tudor John joined the Board in August 2007 as Joint Deputy Chairman and was previously Chairman of Portman Building Society. Between 1972 and 2000 he was a Partner in the international law firm Allen & Overy, the last six years as the Senior Partner. He has considerable experience in the law and investment banking. He is currently a Managing Director of Nomura International plc, Director of Lehman Brothers European Mezzanine 2004 SICAV, Wales In London Limited and Grainger plc and he is Deputy Chairman of the Financial Markets Law Committee. He is a fellow of Downing College, Cambridge.
Derek Ross
Non-Executive Director
Derek Ross joined the Board in 2004. He is also Chairman of the Society’s Audit Committee. He has extensive experience in audit and financial advisory services, particularly in areas of treasury and risk management. Prior to his appointment he was a Senior Partner of Deloitte & Touche LLP for 18 years and previously for seven years a corporate treasurer and tax manager with Black & Decker. He is currently a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of European Central Counterparty Limited and of Access Bank.
David Rigney
Group Operations Director
David Rigney joined the Society in 1999 and was appointed to the Board in 2006. He is currently responsible for Member Account Administration, Information Technology, Business Services and Procurement. He is also leading a transformation programme to complete the modernisation of the Society’s systems. He is a non executive director of HM Land Registry and a Director of various Society subsidiaries. Prior to joining the Society, David held a number of senior management positions in both the public and private sector.
Michael Jary
Non-Executive Director
Michael Jary joined the Board in January 2009. He is the Managing Partner of OC&C Strategy Consultants, a global strategy consulting firm with 15 offices worldwide, having been one of the founders of the firm in 1987. He is an advisor to the boards of leading retail and consumer companies in Europe, the USA and Asia. He is a regular commentator in the retail industry, the co-author of a number of books including “Retail Power Plays” and a guest lecturer at INSEAD Business School. He is also the Chairman of Duchy Originals.
Kevin Loosemore
Non-Executive Director
Kevin Loosemore joined the Board in January 2009. He has a strong information technology background having held senior executive positions at IBM, De La Rue, Motorola and Cable & Wireless. He is currently Chairman of both Micro Focus International plc and Morse plc and a Director of Farnham Castle. During his career Kevin has run businesses in software, services, communications and manufacturing and has overseen the delivery of major IT and transformation programmes.
Tony Prestedge
Group Development Director
Tony Prestedge was appointed to the Board in August 2007 and was previously Group Operations Director of Portman Building Society. He has held a number of senior management and executive roles at Barclays plc, including Managing Director Home Finance and a Member of the Retail Banking Executive Committee. He is currently responsible for Change Management, Human Resources, Corporate Affairs, Strategy and Planning, Legal, Secretariat and Member Services and Regional Brands inclusive of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Dunfermline Building Societies. He is currently a Trustee of The Nationwide Foundation.
Matthew Wyles
Group Distribution Director
Matthew Wyles was appointed to the Board in August 2007 and was previously Group Development Director of Portman Building Society. Prior to joining Portman in 1997, Matthew was an executive director within the Global Reinsurance Division at the Willis Corroon Group specialising in mortgage risk. Matthew is responsible for the branch network, direct channels and group intermediary sales across both Nationwide and The Mortgage Works brands. He is also a Director of various Society subsidiaries.
Chris Rhodes
Group Product & Marketing Director
Chris joined the Society in April 2009 from Abbey Santander, where he was previously Director for Retail Distribution for Alliance & Leicester. Chris is responsible for Mortgages (retail and specialist lending), Insurance and Investments, Savings, Consumer Finance (credit cards and personal loans), Banking (current account, debit card and money transmission) and Commercial together with Customer Strategy and Marketing and Customer Experience.
Senior management team
Graham Beale
Chief Executive
Mark Rennison
Group Finance Director
Chris Rhodes
Group Product & Marketing Director
David Rigney
Group Operations Director
Matthew Wyles
Group Distribution Director
Tony Prestedge
Group Development Director
Liam Coleman
Group Director, Treasury
Tony Alexander
Divisional Director, Finance
Robin Bailey
Divisional Director, Investments & Savings
James Boulton
Divisional Director, Customer Strategy & Marketing
Mark Gibbard
Divisional Director, Risk Management
Bryce Glover
Divisional Director, Commercial
Graeme Hughes
Divisional Director, Branch Network
Terry Kaye
Divisional Director, Change Management
Andy McQueen
Divisional Director, Mortgages & General Insurance
Steve Nowell
Divisional Director, Business Protection
Graham Pilkington
Divisional Director, Banking
Alison Robb
Divisional Director, Strategy & Planning
Peter Stafford
Divisional Director, Information Technology
Maxine Taylor
Divisional Director, Corporate Affairs
Jeremy Wood
Divisional Director, Member Account Administration
John Wrighthouse
Divisional Director, Human Resources
Simon Waite
Group Secretary