Bank North, a challenger bank that is digital-first with a unique strategy with physical operations, has hired Louise Halliwell as Head of Savings.
Bank North recently completed a Series A funding round after receiving a Banking License (AWR (Authorised with Restrictions)) approved by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The bank has been on a hiring spree as it prepares for its “full launch” of operations.
Halliwell joins Bank North following almost 8 years at the Yorkshire Building Society, as a Senior Manager, in which she led the savings products department across a range of the Group’s brands. She has more than 20 years of banking experience, the last 12 of which as a savings specialist.
Before joining the Yorkshire Building Society, Halliwell worked at the Skipton Building Society, overseeing sustainable balance sheet growth across the building society’s savings portfolio. She has also held roles at firms like Lloyds Banking Group, HBOS, and NatWest.
Halliwell will oversee Bank North’s savings product strategy and will help Bank North tailor its savings products.
Halliwell said it is great to join Bank North at such an exciting time:
“Having led the savings teams at established brands, I am looking forward to working with the Bank North team to craft a range of new savings products to appeal to UK savers. In a short time, Bank North has already achieved a great deal, from building a revolutionary model to appeal to UK SME’s and commercial brokers to receiving AWR, and I look forward to helping to shape the next chapter in the bank’s journey. As an authorised bank, our future customers will be able to deposit their savings at Bank North safe in the knowledge that their money enjoys the same FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection as they would at any of the big high-street banks.”
Jonathan Thompson, Bank North CEO, added that Halliwell will bring to Bank North huge expertise in the UK savings market:
“I am excited to work with Louise and our growing team of experts as they continue to build our offer. Savers will play a vital role in helping Bank North to shake up the UK SME lending market, and our products must be crafted to recognise this – supporting our customers to build their savings.”
Bank North is currently raising capital in an online securities offering hosted by GrowthFunders.