You can find out further details in the Terms of Reference.
Our Board | Corporate Governance | Your Society | YBS
Our Board
Meet the members of our Board responsible for everything from making key decisions on strategy to safeguarding the financial interests of our members.
Meet the Board
The role of our Board
The main role of our Board is to focus on the Society's strategy and ensure that all the resources are in place for us to meet our goals and objectives. This includes making sure that the financial controls and risk management systems are robust to protect both the Society and its members.
The Group is headed by the Board which is accountable to the members of the Society and whose principal role is to:
- Be collectively responsible for the success, including the long term success, of the Group and for acting in the best interest of the Society and our members as a whole (both current and future). It may also consider the interests of other customers, colleagues, suppliers and the wider community.
- Have responsibility for the overall management of the Group within a framework of risk management which supports and directs financial security, fair outcomes and a Group built on trust.
- Establish a sustainable business model and set the strategy of the Group consistent with that model.
- Develop the culture of the Group and set a ‘tone from the top’ to ensure that the desired values and behaviours are Board-led.
- Have oversight of the Group’s operations ensuring that appropriate resources and systems of risk management and internal controls are in place.
- Have responsibility for the maintenance and integrity of statutory and audited information on the Society’s website. Information published on the internet is accessible in many countries with different legal requirements. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
You can view the role profiles here of our Chair of the Board, Senior Independent Director and Chief Executive.
The details of all our directors are below.
Non Executive Directors
Executive Directors
Non Executive Directors
Annemarie Durbin BComm, LLB, MSc
Board Chair
Joined our Board in 2023 as Chair of the Board Designate, becoming Board Chair in 2024.
Background and career
Annemarie Durbin has 35 years' international business and banking experience, including retail, commercial, corporate and institutional banking. She spent the majority of her executive career with Standard Chartered, a FTSE 100 international bank, culminating in membership of the Group Executive Committee. She held a variety of global and business roles, including being CEO and Executive Director of Standard Chartered’s publicly listed entity in Thailand and CEO in the Philippines. Annemarie has also held a range of non-executive positions, including WH Smith Plc, Santander UK plc and was Chair of Cater Allen Limited. Annemarie is also an executive coach and mentor.
Skills and experience
Annemarie is a highly experienced executive with a strong background in banking, leadership and talent, transformation, and corporate governance. She also has significant experience in relation to remuneration, including as a Remuneration Committee Chair, and extensive experience in respect of audit, risk and responsible banking from her membership of the relevant Committees at Santander UK plc.
Other roles
Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration Committee and member of Nomination Committee at Persimmon Plc. Non-Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration Committee and member of Management Engagement, Audit and Risk and Nominations Committees at Petershill Partners LLC.
Guy Bainbridge MA (Cantab), ACA
Independent Non-Executive Director and Whistleblowing Champion
Joined our Board in 2019.
Background and career
Guy worked in the audit profession for 36 years with KPMG, including 24 years as a partner. He was also a member of KPMG’s UK Board for seven years and its European Board for five years. He was the Lead Audit Partner for a number of banking clients including Barclays, ING and HSBC.
Skills and experience
Guy is a banking expert and brings recent and relevant experience of the UK banking sector. He has comprehensive knowledge of the regulatory environment in which we operate.
Other roles
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at ICE Clear Europe Ltd and a Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee at Manulife Financial Corporation.
Committee membership
Chair of Audit Committee and member of the Group Risk Committee and Board Governance and Nominations Committee.
Peter Bole, MA Chartered Accountant
Independent Non-Executive Director
Joined our Board in 2024.
Background and career
Peter is currently Chief Financial Officer for esure Group where he has played a key role in the digital transformation programme. Prior to joining esure, he held the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Tesco Bank and also at Virgin Money, where he went on to become the Group Integration Director. He has also previously held senior roles at RBS Insurance, Standard Life and Deloitte.
Skills and experience
Peter has over 25 years’ experience in finance leadership roles across several strong consumer businesses within the Banking and Insurance sectors. He has significant experience throughout his career with organisations experiencing periods of growth and transformation.
Other roles
Chief Finance Officer of esure Group.
Committee membership
Member of Audit Committee.
Angela Darlington BSC, FIA
Independent Non-Executive Director and Non-Executive Director for Workforce Engagement
Joined our Board in 2022.
Background and career
Angela spent 20 years working for Aviva PLC in a variety of senior roles – culminating in her serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UK Life following a period as Interim CEO of UK Insurance, where she was responsible for leading the UK Insurance business and a member of the Aviva Leadership Team. Prior to her CEO roles, Angela was the Group Chief Risk Officer for Aviva PLC for four years, responsible for leading the Risk Function at Group level.
Skills and experience
Angela has significant experience of the financial services sector with a deep technical expertise in relation to risk as well as the ability to contribute to a wider strategic agenda.
Other roles
Independent Non-Executive Director of Rothesay Life and Member of Council for the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Committee membership
Chair of Group Risk Committee and member of Audit Committee.
Debra Davies BA Hons, Business Studies
Independent Non Executive Director
Joined our Board in 2023.
Background and career
Debra has over 25 years of experience in financial services. After starting in Market Research, she spent the remainder of her executive career with American Express, in a variety of senior roles including leading the UK Consumer Business, leading Product Marketing globally and rolling out the American Express business across 55 Countries. She represented the Company’s interests in major Joint Ventures in the Middle East, Belgium and Switzerland where she was the Chair of Swisscard. She has held a range of non-executive and committee Chair roles with AXA UK plc and Credit Suisse international.
Skills and experience
Debra has a strong background in profit and loss leadership, customer service, marketing, technology transformation and digital innovation, as well as Partnership development and management. Her experience spans business to consumer and business to business across many countries and cultures.
Other roles
Non-Executive Director at AXA UK plc, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Audit and Risk Committees. Non-Executive Director of Intrum AB, member of the Transformation Committee.
Committee membership
Chair of Remuneration Committee and member of Group Risk Committee.
Alison Hutchinson BSc, CBE
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Vice Chair
Joined our Board in 2015 and became Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director in October 2020.
Background and career
Alison started her career at IBM, progressing to the role of Global Director of Online Financial Services. She joined Barclays Bank in 2000 holding a number of senior management positions. Alison moved to specialist mortgage provider Kensington Group plc in 2004 as Managing Director and then Group Chief Executive, leading the successful sale of the business to Investec in 2008. She left Investec in 2008 and launched The Pennies Foundation, a registered charity which supports digital donations to good causes. She has been the Chief Executive of the Pennies Foundation since 2009.
Skills and experience
Alison has a strong background in technology, retail and charity sectors as well as extensive experience in the retail financial services sector. She has more than 35 years of management and Board level experience. Alison was awarded a CBE in 2016 for services to the economy and charities.
Other roles
Chief Executive of The Pennies Foundation, Senior Independent Director of DFS Furniture plc and Senior Independent Director of Foresight Group Holdings Ltd.
Committee membership
Member of Remuneration Committee, Group Risk Committee and Board Governance and Nominations Committee.
Dina Matta BSc, BA (Hons)
Independent Non-Executive Director
Joined our Board in April 2021.
Background and career
Dina began her career in strategy and technology consulting prior to joining HSBC/Midland Bank in London. She subsequently worked with UBS, British Telecom and ING Bank in a transformation capacity within their retail, corporate and wholesale business divisions. More recently, Dina joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in October 2021 as the Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer overseeing the Bank’s digital transformation with direct responsibility for the Bank’s data management, technology and administrative service departments as well as the bank wide transformation office.
Skills and experience
Dina is an engineer and economist and has over 30 years’ experience in transformation, operations and technological innovation working across industries both in Europe and the US.
Other roles
Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Committee membership
Member of Remuneration Committee.
Mark Parsons BA, FCMA
Independent Non-Executive Director and Board Consumer Duty / Member Champion
Joined our Board in 2020.
Background and career
Mark was Chief Executive of Coventry Building Society from 2014 until his retirement in April 2020. Mark has significant experience working within retail financial services including roles at Barclays and Abbey National, as well as time at PricewaterhouseCoopers. At Barclays he was the Chief Financial Officer for Retail and Business Banking and also served as the Deputy Chief Executive of Barclays UK Retail Bank.
Skills and experience
Mark has over 35 years’ experience in financial services and has a range of executive experience across finance, human resources, product, retail management, risk management and investor relations.
Other roles
Non-Executive Director of Fairstone Capital Group Ltd.
Committee membership
Member of Audit Committee and Group Risk Committee.
Janet Pope, BSC Econ, MSC Economics, MBA
Independent Non-Executive Director
Joined our Board in 2024.
Background and career
Janet joined Lloyds Banking Group in 2008 to run the savings business and from 2012 to 2023 was Chief of Staff and latterly Chief Sustainability Officer, a Group Executive Committee role. Previously she held roles as Chief Executive at Alliance Trust Savings, EVP Global Strategy at Visa International and spent 10 years at Standard Chartered Bank where she held a variety of roles including Retail Banking MD for Africa.
Skills and experience
Janet is a highly experienced banking executive with a track record for driving successful strategy, retail banking and diversity improvements. She also has extensive non-executive experience in government departments, charities and the private sector.
Other roles
Chair of Charities Aid Foundation Bank, Trustee of Charities Aid Foundation and StepChange Debt Charity.
Jennelle Tilling B.Bus, BA
Independent Non-Executive Director
Joined our Board in 2021.
Background and career
Jennelle spent over 17 years working for Yum! Restaurants International in a variety of senior marketing roles - culminating in her serving as the Global Chief Marketing Officer for KFC, responsible for the company’s marketing, communications, innovation, digital presence and reputation in over 125 countries. Jennelle is the Founder and Chief Brand Strategist at London-based brand consultancy Marketing with Insight.
Skills and experience
Jennelle has over 25 years’ consumer marketing, digital and innovation experience with leading global FMCG and food retail brands.
Other roles
Trustee for The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
Committee membership
Member of Remuneration Committee.
Executive Directors
Susan Allen BA Hons (Econ), ACIB, ACT, OBE
Chief Executive Officer
Joined the Society and our Board in 2023.
Background and career
Susan was most recently Head of Customer Transformation at Barclays where she was responsible for leading and supporting all colleagues in frontline teams to deliver a differentiated customer experience.
Prior to that Susan was responsible for all of Santander's UK Retail and Business banking businesses, supporting 15 million customers and with a nationwide network of branches and customer contact centres, following her role as Chief Transformation Officer. Susan is a former Board member of UK Finance.
Skills and experience
Susan has more than 25 years of experience in financial services having held senior executive positions at a number of large retail banks in the UK. Susan has been a proud champion of diversity and inclusivity throughout her career. She is also a member of the Building Societies Association Council.
Other roles
Director of TheCity UK and member of the Board of Trustees for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Tom Ranger BAHons
Chief Financial Officer
Joined the Society and our Board in 2024.
Background and career
Tom joined YBS from Santander UK plc, where he worked for sixteen years, the last seven of which he was UK Group Treasurer. In addition to his executive role, he was a Non-Executive Director of Santander Financial Services plc Board and Senior Officer of Santander International’s Jersey Branch. Tom started his career at Northern Rock plc in 1999, moving to Alliance & Leicester in 2007, just prior to their acquisition by Banco Santander SA plc in 2008.
Skills and experience
Tom has over 25 year’s experience in financial services with significant expertise across all Treasury aspects of finance, including rates markets, funding, capital and liquidity management, balance sheet management, interest rate risk, pensions, stress testing and investor relations.
The work of our committees
Discover the four committees who monitor how we manage various aspects of our Society and make recommendations to the Board on how we can improve.
Corporate Governance
Read how corporate governance helps shape the way the Board protects the interests of the Society and its members.