Bank North appoints head of savings ahead of full launch
Bank North, the UK’s first truly regional business bank of the modern era, has appointed Louise Halliwell as head of savings.
Louise joins Bank North following almost 8 years at the Yorkshire Building Society, as a senior manager, in which she led the savings products department across a range of the Group’s brands. Louise brings more than 20 years’ banking experience, the last 12 of which as a savings specialist. Before joining the Yorkshire Building Society, Louise worked at the Skipton Building Society, overseeing sustainable balance sheet growth across the building society’s savings portfolio. Louise has also held managerial and other roles at industry leaders such as Lloyds Banking Group, HBOS, and NatWest.
In her role, Louise will oversee Bank North’s savings product strategy, a vital component of delivering a successful regional bank for the UK. Louise’s vast experience and consumer knowledge will help Bank North tailor attractive savings products, as well as delivering an excellent customer experience. Attracting consumer deposits will ensure that Bank North is able to deliver fast, business-centric, and local lending to UK SMEs.
Louise’s appointment comes as Bank North continues to strengthen its team following a successful Series A funding round and Banking License (AWR (Authorised with Restrictions)) awarded by the PRA & FCA earlier this year.
Jonathan Thompson, Bank North CEO, said: “Louise will bring to Bank North huge expertise in the UK savings market, and will help ensure that we can deliver the most compelling offer, coupled with the best possible service to our future customers. I am excited to work with Louise and our growing team of experts as they continue to build our offer. Savers will play a vital role in helping Bank North to shake up the UK SME lending market, and our products must be crafted to recognise this – supporting our customers to build their savings.”
Louise Halliwell, Bank North’s new head of savings added: “It is great to join Bank North at such an exciting time in the business’s journey. Having led the savings teams at established brands, I am looking forward to working with the Bank North team to craft a range of new savings products to appeal to UK savers. In a short time, Bank North has already achieved a great deal, from building a revolutionary model to appeal to UK SME’s and commercial brokers to receiving AWR, and I look forward to helping to shape the next chapter in the bank’s journey.
“As an authorised bank, our future customers will be able to deposit their savings at Bank North safe in the knowledge that their money enjoys the same FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection as they would at any of the big high-street banks.”
