Chief Executive Officer - 3000142

Our client, a well-established and highly respected UK mutual financial institution, is seeking to appoint an exceptional Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation through its next phase of strategic development and sustainable growth.

With a long-standing heritage, strong balance sheet and established position within the specialist mortgage and savings markets, the organisation is well placed for the future. This appointment represents an exciting opportunity to build on these foundations, strengthen its market position and shape its long-term strategic direction.

We are seeking an accomplished financial services leader with broad senior leadership experience gained within a regulated lending environment, ideally a bank or building society. Candidates may currently be operating as a CEO, Managing Director, Executive Committee member or in another sufficiently broad leadership role that demonstrates readiness for CEO responsibility. Previous building society experience would be advantageous but is not essential; more important will be breadth of leadership, an understanding of regulated lending and alignment with the organisation’s purpose and values.

The CEO will provide visible and engaging leadership across the organisation, balancing commercial ambition with prudent risk management, strong governance and positive member outcomes. Working closely with the Board and Executive Leadership Team, they will drive strategic growth, organisational capability and operational excellence while preserving the collaborative, customer-focused culture that has underpinned the organisation’s success.

Candidates will bring strong commercial and strategic judgement, together with a sound understanding of lending, mortgages and/or savings and the dynamics of managing a regulated balance sheet. Experience of working effectively with Boards and engaging with the PRA and/or FCA will also be important.

Commercially astute, authentic and collaborative, the successful candidate will combine strategic vision with sound judgement, resilience and emotional intelligence. They will act as a credible ambassador for the organisation, building strong relationships with regulators, intermediary partners, industry bodies and other key stakeholders, while demonstrating a genuine commitment to mutuality and member-focused financial services.

The role is based in the Midlands, but offers a hybrid working pattern.