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Meet our Board

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The Melton Building Society is managed day-to-day by an Executive Team of senior managers, overseen by an elected Board of Non-Executive Directors. Some members of the Executive Team are also members of the Board and are known as Executive Directors.

The Non-Executive Directors, who are from a range of different backgrounds, bring an outside perspective to the management of the Society and also represent the views of the membership.

Non Executive Directors

Sue Douthwaite
Sue Douthwaite
Chair of the Board

I was appointed to the Board of Directors on 1 May 2021 and became Chair of Nexa Finance Ltd on 1 January 2022.

I have enjoyed an extensive career in financial services working in Retail, Corporate and SME Banking. Previous roles include Managing Director of Santander Business in Santander UK.

I have been involved in transformational fintech projects and the successful delivery of new operating models, systems and culture.

I also sit on the board of the NHS Business Services Authority as Chair since 2022, and I am a Non Executive Director of British Business Investments Ltd.

I am Chair of the Advisory Board for Queen’s University Business School, Queen’s University Belfast.

Judith Mortimer Sykes
Judith Mortimer Sykes
Chair of Remuneration & Nominations Committee and Senior Independent Director

I was appointed to the Board of Directors on 19 May 2021. I am an experienced NED having worked on a range of boards in the past decade. I completed a 9-year term at Harpenden Building Society where I was Vice Chair, Senior Independent Director and Chair of Remuneration & Nominations. At Melton I am the Senior Independent Director with the responsibility of Whistleblowing Champion. I also Chair the Remuneration & Nominations committee.

My work in financial services spans over 40 years with an executive career in corporate banking at Bank of America in the 80's, followed by 18 years at Nationwide Building Society on both the commercial and retail side, including six years as Head of Lending Control.

I am married with one daughter and live in Northamptonshire.

Elizabeth Lockwood
Elizabeth Lockwood
Chair of the Risk Committee

I was appointed to the Board of Directors on 1st July 2022, and to the Board of Directors of Nexa Finance on 6th October 2022, and Chair the Risk committee. Alongside my non-executive role at Melton, I also volunteer as an external expert member of the Audit and Risk Committee for Samaritans and am a qualified executive coach and therapeutic counsellor.

I joined the Melton Board after 25 years in banking as a risk management specialist, spending 15+ years covering corporates and financial institutions at Deutsche Bank in the UK before holding a number of senior and executive risk roles in commercial, retail and private banking at RBS/ NatWest in the subsequent decade.

I am married with 2 adult children and a rescued Belgian Shepherd and live in Surrey.

Simon Thomas
Simon Thomas
Chair of the Audit Committee

I am a Chartered Accountant and trained with Price Waterhouse. I have over 30 years’ experience in financial services and retired from my most recent role as Group CFO of Provident Financial Group PLC in March 2020.

Before that, I was Group CFO of Just Group PLC, a FTSE 250 financial services Company, for approximately 12 years. I also spent 10 years at Nationwide, where I started working in the financial systems area and ultimately became their Group Financial Controller.

I also sit on the Board, and Chair the Audit Committee of, National Deposit Friendly Society Limited.

I am married with one son and live in Surrey.

Fiona Ann Pollard
Fiona Ann Pollard MA

I was appointed to the Board of Directors on 9 October 2014 having had a career in investment banking with various financial institutions including NatWest and Goldman Sachs. I sit on a number of Boards including Monument Bank and Visit England - the national tourist board. I also run my own events company and like to renovate beautiful old buildings. I am married with four children and live in the west country.

Michele Ibbs
Michele Ibbs

I was appointed to the Board of Directors on 1st June 2024.

I am an experienced non-executive director, having completed a 9 year term with The Marsden Building Society where I was Senior Independent Director, and Chair of Board Nominations and Remuneration Committees, and as a non-executive director of The Ombudsman Services Limited and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

I am currently Chair of the Board at Connexus Homes Limited, and a non-executive director and shareholder representative for the Cambridgeshire County Pension Fund on the board of Cambridge and Counties Bank Limited.

My executive career included board roles with Wedgwood, Princes Foods, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Ltd and Liverpool John Moores University.

Executive Directors

Simon Taylor
Simon Taylor ACIB, MBA
Chief Executive

I joined the Society in June 2020 as Chief Executive and I have worked in financial services for over 30 years. Previously I was Chief Operating Officer for the Nottingham Building Society for almost 8 years. I have held a number of senior roles at Lloyds and Barclays and was a Regional Director for Lloyds Banking Group before joining the Building Society Sector.

I am an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, I hold an MBA and am an alumnus in Advanced Strategic Management from Kellogg North-Western Business School in Chicago.

Andy Lumby
Andy Lumby FCA
Chief Financial Officer

I joined the Society in July 2021. I am a chartered accountant and started my career with PricewaterhouseCoopers before moving into the mutual sector. I have over 17 years' experience in financial services and have held a number of senior finance positions at building societies, including Head of Finance at Nottingham Building Society and most recently as Finance Director of Tipton & Coseley Building Society.

I am responsible for the Society's Finance and Treasury management functions along with implementation of the Society's financial strategies.

I am married with one daughter and live in Leicestershire.

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Bank of England Base Rate

On 1st August 2024 the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met and decided to decrease the Bank Base Rate by 0.25% to 5.00%.

Following this change, Base Rate tracker mortgages will be decreased by 0.25% from the 1st September 2024.

Please bear with us – our telephone lines may be busier than usual as we help our customers.

If you have any concerns about financial difficulty, please contact the Mortgage Services Team on 01664 414141 so we can help support you.