The Board

David was co-opted to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director and appointed as Society Chairman in November 2024, and elected in June 2025.

David was also appointed as a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and a member of the Investment Committee in 2024.

David is a Chartered Accountant following which he spent 10 years in merchant banking with Morgan Grenfell and, following that, 11 years with Russell Reynolds Associates where he headed their UK financial services recruitment. He returned to merchant banking with Kleinwort Benson Group plc as Head of HR, joining the plc Board. He then became CEO of Kleinwort Benson Private Bank for 7.5 years and as its Chairman for a further 4 years. He then stepped down to start a portfolio career as a non-executive director in both public and private companies, assuming several Chair positions, some of which he will continue to hold such as Chair of The Benefact Trust.

Stuart was co-opted to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director and appointed as Deputy Chairman and Senior Independent Director in November 2024, and elected in June 2025.

Stuart was appointed as a Chairman of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee in 2024.

Stuart has worked in financial services for over 40 years in a range of strategy, leadership and business development roles and has worked with life offices, friendly societies, reinsurers, retailers, banks, building societies and distribution/advice businesses. He also worked at the Association of British Insurers for nearly 5 years where he led the Raising Standards initiative. He was CEO at Holloway Friendly for over 7.5 years before stepping down to run his own consulting business and becoming a non-executive director. He previously Chaired two trade associations, the Association of Financial Mutuals and the Investment and Life Assurance Group and continues to be Deputy Chair of the FCA Smaller Business Practitioner Panel.

Caroline was elected to the Board as a Non-Executive Member Director in June 2025.

Caroline was appointed as Chairman of the Membership Committee and as a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee and a member of the Investment Committee in 2025.

Caroline has been an active member of the Society for 12 years. She is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development. During her career she has been a Director of United Friendly Insurance, Chief Executive of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, and Chief Executive of the Actuarial Profession. Her non- executive portfolio has included the roles of Trustee of the charity, ShareAction, where she was Chairman of its Governance, Risk and HR Committee, Chairman of the Appointment Panel of IMPRESS (independent press regulator), Member of the Independent Remuneration Panel of Horsham District Council, a Member Elected Trustee of the Royal London Pension Scheme, Trustee of Age UK West Sussex Brighton & Hove, and Non-Executive Director of Omnilife Limited where she was Chairman of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee. She is Chairman of Chanctonbury Community Land Trust.

Jane was co-opted to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director in November 2024, and elected in June 2025.

Jane was appointed as Chairman of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, and as a member of the With-Profits Advisory Arrangement and Unit-Linked Advisory Arrangement in 2024.

Jane is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience in financial services including Director in corporate finance with Citibank. She founded two independent investment management companies and became Chief Finance Officer of an AIM quoted acquisitive investment management company. Her last Executive role was as Chief Executive of Folk2Folk, a startup Peer2Peer lending company before stepping down in 2018 to start a portfolio career as a non-executive director. She is a Non-Executive Director of Teachers Building Society where she Chairs the Risk Committee and a Non-Executive Director of Diales Group PLC where she Chairs the Remuneration Committee.

Ray was co-opted to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director in November 2024, and elected in June 2025.

Ray was appointed as Chairman of the With-Profits Advisory Arrangement and Unit-Linked Advisory Arrangement, and as a member of Audit Risk and Compliance Committee in 2024.

Ray has over 40 years experience of risk management, manufacturing and distribution in the retail banking and insurance industries including Managing Director of Halifax Financial Services. He is a qualified Actuary and was until recently Chief Risk Officer for Schroders Personal Wealth where he was Executive Sponsor of their Disability Awareness Network and the Executive Sponsor for Vulnerable Clients. He is a Non-Executive Director of The Stafford Building Society and a Non-Executive Director of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank.

Zoe was co-opted to the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director in February 2025, and elected in June 2025.

Zoe was appointed as Chairman of the Investment Committee and a member of the Membership Committee, With-Profits Advisory Arrangement and Unit-Linked Advisory Arrangement in 2025.

Zoe is an experienced banker and fund manager working for over 35 years in the City of London. She has been the London General Manager of Germany’s sixth largest Investment Bank and then Founder and Managing Partner of a Euro 8bn alternative investment manager, New Bond Street Asset Management which she sold in 2009. Since then she has held a number of senior roles including Head of Fixed Income at Federated-Hermes, Head of Credit at ThinCats, a Fintech lending platform to UK SMEs, and Head of Credit at SportsFi, a fintech platform for sports transactions and management. She is a Non-Executive Director of Wandle Housing Association, a member of the Asset Investment Committee of Fitzwilliam College in Cambridge, and a member of the Investment Committee of the Ironmongers Livery Company. Previously she held a Non-Executive Director role at Newbury Building Society.

Richard was co-opted to the Board as an Executive Director in August 2023 and elected in July 2024.  He was appointed as Chief Executive in October 2024.

Richard re-joined the Society in June 2022 as Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, having worked at the Society earlier in his career, and was appointed as Risk and Compliance Director in August 2023. He has over 30 years of Financial Services industry experience of which more than 15 years was within the mutual sector working for the Society, Teachers Assurance and LV= (formerly Liverpool Victoria). He is a Director of the St Peter’s Academy in Bournemouth.

Mark was co-opted to the Board as an Executive Director in October 2024, and elected in June 2025.

Mark was appointed as a member of the Investment Committee in 2024.

Mark is a qualified actuary and has over 30 years of experience in the insurance, pensions, and asset management sectors.  He previously held the roles of Chief Finance Officer and Chief Risk Officer at Holloway Friendly Society and during his career has held a number of executive and senior management roles with B&CE Group, Sun Life of Canada, Blackrock Life, Phoenix and Skandia. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Hampshire Credit Union Limited.