Skipton Building Society appoints new CEO

Skipton Building Society has announced that it has appointed Stuart Haire as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Haire previously was the Group General Manager and Chief Executive of HSBC’s UK personal and private banking businesses. Haire has worked at HSBC for six years, having spent nearly a decade prior to that in senior roles at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

In a career spanning over 20 years Haire has held executive leadership roles across a variety of functions within financial services. From working at RBS as director of financial strategy and analysis, and later their chief risk officer, through to being HSBC’s head of customer value management accountable for customer, commercial and risk targets across HSBC UK, First Direct and John Lewis Financial Services. Stuart’s career incorporates a strong blend of strategy, marketing, risk and business leadership across different financial services channels and functions.

Ian Cornelius, Skipton’s Interim Group Chief Executive will remain in role until 31st  December. Haire will join the Society at the end of the year.

Gwyn Burr, Chair of Skipton Building Society, said “I’m delighted to welcome Stuart to Skipton. He’ll be joining us in our 170th year and his leadership and vision is exactly what we need for the next chapter of our long and proud history. And I’d like to thank Ian Cornelius for his first-rate stewardship of the business over the past few months and through to the end of the year.”

“Stuart will be joining Skipton, a financially strong and well-run mutual, and the parent organisation to a significant group which includes the UK’s largest estate agency Connells. As a business we have consistently been here, supporting our members through the good times and the less so. And as we face into the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead our priority will always remain our members and meeting their financial needs. It is this accountability that makes working for a mutual so special – and I’m pleased to welcome Stuart and his vast skills and experience to the team.”