People: CYBG senior leadership team appointments; Chamber of Commerce president elected; Compliance director hire; and more

CYBG, the parent company which owns Leeds-headquartered Yorkshire Bank, Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank, and digital brand B has made appointments to its senior leadership team.

Lucy Dimes is joining as Group Business Transformation Officer, Fraser Ingram has become Group Chief Operating Officer and Emma Tottenham has been appointed as Group Corporate Communications & Sustainability Director.

Dimes will join the bank in July as Group Business Transformation Officer to lead on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the bank and the successful delivery of its investment and transformation plan.

She previously worked with UBM, a global provider of business information where she was CEO for Europe, Middle-East and Africa, delivering significant growth in revenues through accelerated transformation of the operating model.

She previously held a number of CEO and Chief Operating Officer roles for telecoms and technology companies around the world, including Fujitsu, Equiniti Group and Nokia.

Ingram originally joined CYBG in 2016 as Chief Information Officer.

Over the last six months, he has played an integral role on the Leadership Team as Interim Chief Operating Officer, leading the work to bring together the operational and technology functions of CYBG and Virgin Money while also shaping future strategy.

He has a wealth of experience in banking and FinTech and was a driving force behind the development and implementation of the Bank’s iB technology platform and award-winning digital brand B.

Ingram also successfully led the core separation projects as part of the Group’s demerger from National Australia Bank.

He joined CYBG from Kleinwort Benson, where he held the role of Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to this he held a range of senior business and technology roles, mainly in RBS, including CIO of Citizens Bank in the USA.

Tottenham is responsible for internal and external communications and the Bank’s sustainability agenda, including the not-for-profit digital fundraising platform, Virgin Money Giving.

She previously held the role of Chief of Staff at CYBG. She has a strong background in financial services strategy, having held senior strategy roles both in CYBG and RBS.

David Duffy, CEO of CYBG, said: “Following the success of last week’s Capital Markets Day, where we presented our refreshed medium-term strategy for the combined Group, I am delighted to confirm three new senior appointments to our Leadership Team.

“Lucy, Fraser and Emma are outstanding talents with proven track records. Their broad experience and knowledge within the technology and financial services sectors will be invaluable as we combine CYBG and Virgin Money and become a major disruptor in UK banking.

“We are being ambitious, but I am confident we have the right team in place to deliver on our financial targets and grow our business throughout the UK.”

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York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has elected a new President.

Andrew Digwood succeeds Bridget Meynell, who has held the post for the last two years.

Digwood, a Partner with law firm Rollits LLP, was elected at the annual meeting of York & North Yorkshire Chamber’s Leadership Group.

He had been in the role of Vice-President until the election, and that role is now filled by Laurence Beardmore of York Emporium.

The Leadership Group is the main policy-making body of York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, and that function is replicated across the other two geographical areas of the business support organisation, in Leeds and Bradford.

Digwood said of his appointment: “I’m flattered and honoured to be taking on the position of President of York & North Yorkshire Chamber.

“We have some wonderful businesses based in our region, and, of course, this is a great part of the world in which to live and work.

“However, there’s plenty of work to do to ensure that remains the case, and I look forward to working closely with those businesses and the Chamber team to represent them and act as an ambassador for York & North Yorkshire generally.”

Digwood said he would reveal details of his hopes and objectives for the next two years in the weeks and months to come.

Chief Executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Sandy Needham, added: “We continue to have a great team at the head of York & North Yorkshire Chamber and I know that Andrew and Laurence will both do a sterling job in representing our members and tackling the issues of importance in the area.

“I look forward to working closely with them both as we get to grips with those issues and support the local business community.”

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Harrogate-headquartered Homes for Students, the national student accommodation manager, has appointed Mandy Blackburn as compliance director.

Blackburn joins Homes for Students from MYSHON supported living specialists and will have overall responsibility for co-ordinating compliance across the group. She previously worked for Derwent Students where she achieved all three main ISO accreditations.

Blackburn will help the company meet its business objectives for 2019/20 with the aim of achieving accreditation of ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) for all student accommodation schemes managed under the Homes for Students and Prestige Student Living brands.

Her role will involve embedding a compliance culture and framework throughout the business as it expands, along with managing associated risks and reporting such to the board each month.

Blackburn said: “The compliance field is changing with many local authorities in the UK introducing new licensing and HMO regulations. I am looking forward to leading the compliance team at Homes for Students in order to comply with this new legislation and enhancing the systems already in place to manage the 20,000-bed portfolio contracted for 2019.”

Homes for Students has developed a unique service proposition based on taking the risk on facilities management costs allowing the company to concentrate on sales at each property, which are incentivised by a sharing in revenue above agreed target net operating incomes.