Introducing our team of Executive Directors

Picture of Susan Allen

Susan Allen BA Hons (Econ), ACIB, ACT, OBE

Chief Executive Officer
Joined the Society and our Board in 2023.

Background and career

Susan has held a number of senior executive roles in some of the UK’s largest retail banks, including Barclays, Santander and Royal Bank of Scotland, leading and successfully delivering significant transformation and customer centric change. 

Prior to joining YBS she was 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.

At Santander 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 also a former Board member of UK Finance.


Skills and experience

Susan has more than 25 years of experience in financial services across a wide range of different businesses and 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. Member of the Building Societies Association Council.

Picture of Tom Ranger

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 Board Director of Santander Financial Services plc 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 UK retail banking, specifically within finance and specifically Treasury, including markets, funding, capital and liquidity management, balance sheet management and planning, interest rate risk, pensions, stress testing and investor relations.

Tom is also Chair of Accord Mortgages Limited.

Introducing our team of Chief Officers

Image of Richard Bowles

Richard Bowles MSc, BSc

Chief Risk Officer
Joined the Society in 2024.

Background and career

Richard has held a range of Risk leadership roles across many of the major banks, including Lloyds Banking Group and TSB. Prior to joining YBS Richard was Chief Risk Officer at Coventry Building Society.  He is responsible for ensuring that there are appropriate procedures and capability for the management of all the Society’s risks, whether planned or unplanned. In addition to Risk, he is also responsible for the Legal, Compliance and Secretariat functions as well as regulatory relationships.

Skills and experience

Richard has over 15 years’ experience in retail banking and brings a broad range of risk management experience and a proven track record for delivering major transformation.

Image of James Heslip

James Heslip

Chief Internal Audit Officer
Joined the Society in 2016.

Background and career

James has been with YBS since 2016 in roles including the Group Lead for Compliance Advisory, Senior Manager in our Mortgage Advice Team and most recently as the Director of Compliance, MLRO and DPO responsible for second line oversight of Compliance and Conduct risk and management of the key regulatory relationships. Prior to this he has had roles in each of the three lines of defence at Financial Services institutions including Lloyds Banking Group and Aviva.  


Skills and experience

James has a broad range of audit, risk and financial experience across each of the three lines of defence within the financial services industry.  He is responsible for our ‘third line of defence’ in the Society’s risk management model, including evaluating how we manage our capital, liquidity, credit, operational and regulatory risks.

Picture of Fraser Ingram

Fraser Ingram MBA, FCB

Chief Operating Officer
Joined the Society in 2023.

Background and career

Prior to joining YBS, Fraser was Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Virgin Money. Through his career he held a range of roles including Group Chief Operating Officer, Chief Information Officer and Innovation and Change Director. Before Virgin Money his roles included Chief Operating Officer at Kleinwort Benson and CIO of Citizens Bank in the USA.


Skills and experience

Fraser has a wide range of experience across businesses, functions and geographies – including business transformation, IT and change management.

Picture of Holly Rankin

Holly Rankin FCIPD

Chief People Officer
Joined the Society in 2024.

Background and career

Prior to joining Yorkshire Building Society, Holly has held roles at Barclays Bank, where she was Managing Director HR, and has previously held the roles of HR director, community banks and wealth at Lloyds Banking Group and Head of HR for the retail network at Santander UK.


Skills and experience

Holly has over 28 years' experience in human resources, including 16 years in financial services and brings a wealth of experience in shaping and leading strategic people plans, covering culture change, talent and succession, reward and leadership capability.

Who's on our Board

Meet the executive and non-executive directors who sit on our board and look after the financial interests of the Society and its members.

Corporate Governance

Read how corporate governance helps shape the way the Board protects the interests of the Society and its members.

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