Board of Directors

Pat Butler, Chair

Appointed: January 2018

Board Committee membership:

  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Chair)
  • Remuneration Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
Pat brings extensive financial services experience to the Board, gained through both his executive and non-executive careers. He has previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Bank of Ireland Group PLC and Bank of Ireland (UK) PLC and was a partner at The Resolution Group, which conducts investment and restructuring activities in financial services. Pat has also chaired the Investment Committee of British Business Bank Investments Ltd, which is the commercial arm of the British Business Bank. 

Prior to that, he spent a number of years at McKinsey & Company Inc. where he held senior roles, including leading the Europe, Middle East and Africa Retail Financial Services Practice. Pat is a qualified accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
  • Chair of Ardonagh International
  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk Committee of Ardonagh Group Limited
  • Non-Executive Director of Res Media Ltd.

 

Appointed: January 2018

Board Committee membership:

  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Chair)
  • Remuneration Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
Pat brings extensive financial services experience to the Board, gained through both his executive and non-executive careers. He has previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Bank of Ireland Group PLC and Bank of Ireland (UK) PLC and was a partner at The Resolution Group, which conducts investment and restructuring activities in financial services. Pat has also chaired the Investment Committee of British Business Bank Investments Ltd, which is the commercial arm of the British Business Bank. 

Prior to that, he spent a number of years at McKinsey & Company Inc. where he held senior roles, including leading the Europe, Middle East and Africa Retail Financial Services Practice. Pat is a qualified accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
  • Chair of Ardonagh International
  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk Committee of Ardonagh Group Limited
  • Non-Executive Director of Res Media Ltd.

 

Steven Cooper, CBE - Executive Director

Appointed: May 2021

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
Prior to joining Aldermore in 2021, Steven was CEO at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest privately-owned bank, where he developed and led an extensive programme of change. Before this, he spent 30 years at Barclays, starting as a branch cashier and working his way up to lead several of their major businesses, including Barclaycard Business Solutions, Personal Banking for UK & Europe, and Business Banking in the UK.

He has significant experience in both the European and the US markets, and also spent four years working and living across Africa and India.

Steven is Chairman of Experian UK and is a non-executive director of Cashflows, a private equity backed payments business.

He is a passionate advocate for social mobility; he chairs Business in the Community’s Employment and Skills Leadership Team, is a co-chair of the Equality of Opportunity Coalition with former Cabinet Minister Justine Greening and was formerly Joint Chair of the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission until 2021.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of Experian Limited
  • Co-Chair of Equality of Opportunity Coalition
  • Chair of Business in the Community’s Employment and Skills Leadership Team
  • Non-Executive Director of Cashflows Europe Limited

Appointed: May 2021

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
Prior to joining Aldermore in 2021, Steven was CEO at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest privately-owned bank, where he developed and led an extensive programme of change. Before this, he spent 30 years at Barclays, starting as a branch cashier and working his way up to lead several of their major businesses, including Barclaycard Business Solutions, Personal Banking for UK & Europe, and Business Banking in the UK.

He has significant experience in both the European and the US markets, and also spent four years working and living across Africa and India.

Steven is Chairman of Experian UK and is a non-executive director of Cashflows, a private equity backed payments business.

He is a passionate advocate for social mobility; he chairs Business in the Community’s Employment and Skills Leadership Team, is a co-chair of the Equality of Opportunity Coalition with former Cabinet Minister Justine Greening and was formerly Joint Chair of the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission until 2021.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of Experian Limited
  • Co-Chair of Equality of Opportunity Coalition
  • Chair of Business in the Community’s Employment and Skills Leadership Team
  • Non-Executive Director of Cashflows Europe Limited
Steven Cooper, CEO of Aldermore Group

Ralph Coates - Executive Director

Appointed: May 2022

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
Ralph has been the Aldermore Group CFO since May 2022. Previously he was the CFO of TSB Bank for five years and was pivotal in driving its transformation and growth strategy. Prior to joining TSB, he was Finance Director at the Bank of England, from 2013 to 2016, after nine years at Barclays, latterly as the Finance Director of Barclays UK Retail & Business Bank.

Ralph qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC in South Africa before joining the firm in London in the Transaction Services division.

Ralph Coates, Chief Financial Officer

Richard Banks CBE, Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: September 2020

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Remuneration Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Chair)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Richard has 40 years of experience in banking and financial services. Latterly he was Chief Executive of UK Asset Resolution Ltd responsible for winding down the nationalised banks Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock Asset Management between 2010 and 2016 for which he was awarded a CBE. 

Before that he was a director of Alliance & Leicester plc where he was the Managing Director of the Commercial Bank. Richard is a qualified chartered banker.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-executive Chairman of Shop Direct Finance Company Ltd
  • Non-executive director of Computershare Loan Services group of companies

Appointed: September 2020

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Remuneration Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Chair)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Richard has 40 years of experience in banking and financial services. Latterly he was Chief Executive of UK Asset Resolution Ltd responsible for winding down the nationalised banks Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock Asset Management between 2010 and 2016 for which he was awarded a CBE. 

Before that he was a director of Alliance & Leicester plc where he was the Managing Director of the Commercial Bank. Richard is a qualified chartered banker.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-executive Chairman of Shop Direct Finance Company Ltd
  • Non-executive director of Computershare Loan Services group of companies

Des Crowley, Senior Independent Director

Appointed: May 2020

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)
  • Aldermore Senior Independent Director

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Des has over 30 years’ financial services experience, having spent most of his career at Bank of Ireland Group where he led businesses in Ireland and the UK including retail and commercial banking, SME, wealth management, insurance, and technology. Des was a member of the Bank of Ireland Group Executive Committee from 2000 until retirement in October 2019 and served

as a Director on the Bank of Ireland Court from 2006 to 2011. His most recent leadership role was as CEO of Bank of Ireland UK PLC (2012 to 2019), the independent subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland Group, with a full service retail and commercial bank in Northern Ireland and significant partnerships with the UK Post Office, Automobile Association and UK wide Mortgage Intermediaries and Motor Dealerships.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Citi Europe PLC
  • Chairman of AXA Insurance DAC
  • Director Ardilea Wood Management Ltd, Ireland

Appointed: May 2020

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)
  • Aldermore Senior Independent Director

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Des has over 30 years’ financial services experience, having spent most of his career at Bank of Ireland Group where he led businesses in Ireland and the UK including retail and commercial banking, SME, wealth management, insurance, and technology. Des was a member of the Bank of Ireland Group Executive Committee from 2000 until retirement in October 2019 and served

as a Director on the Bank of Ireland Court from 2006 to 2011. His most recent leadership role was as CEO of Bank of Ireland UK PLC (2012 to 2019), the independent subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland Group, with a full service retail and commercial bank in Northern Ireland and significant partnerships with the UK Post Office, Automobile Association and UK wide Mortgage Intermediaries and Motor Dealerships.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of Citi Europe PLC
  • Chairman of AXA Insurance DAC
  • Director Ardilea Wood Management Ltd, Ireland

Ruth Handcock, Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: October 2021

Board Committee membership:

  • Risk Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Ruth is experienced in working in finance and investments. Prior to becoming CEO at Octopus Investments in 2018, Ruth was Chief Customer Officer and Chief of Staff at Tandem Bank. Her previous roles include as Global Finance Director at Bacardi, and Private Sector Adviser & Deputy Project Leader at the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative in Sierra Leone. 

Ruth graduated in 2001 from the University of Cambridge with an MA (first class) degree in Natural Sciences.

Principal external appointments:

  • CEO, Octopus Money

  • Director, Octopus Group

  • Founder and Chair of Trustees, Supporting West Africa Through Schooling

Appointed: October 2021

Board Committee membership:

  • Risk Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Ruth is experienced in working in finance and investments. Prior to becoming CEO at Octopus Investments in 2018, Ruth was Chief Customer Officer and Chief of Staff at Tandem Bank. Her previous roles include as Global Finance Director at Bacardi, and Private Sector Adviser & Deputy Project Leader at the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative in Sierra Leone. 

Ruth graduated in 2001 from the University of Cambridge with an MA (first class) degree in Natural Sciences.

Principal external appointments:

  • CEO, Octopus Money

  • Director, Octopus Group

  • Founder and Chair of Trustees, Supporting West Africa Through Schooling

John Hitchins, Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: May 2014

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Chair)
  • Risk Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
John has extensive financial and audit experience, having previously held the position of senior banking partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, specialising in bank auditing and advisory services for banking clients. 

From 2001 to 2010, John was PwC’s banking industry leader and, from 2010 until his retirement in 2014, led PwC’s global IFRS technical group. John has also carried out a wide variety of other advisory work for banks and has been engaged by the regulators to provide advice on corporate governance, high-level controls and other regulatory matters.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair at St James’s Place Plc.

Appointed: May 2014

Board Committee membership:

  • Audit Committee (Chair)
  • Risk Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:
John has extensive financial and audit experience, having previously held the position of senior banking partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, specialising in bank auditing and advisory services for banking clients. 

From 2001 to 2010, John was PwC’s banking industry leader and, from 2010 until his retirement in 2014, led PwC’s global IFRS technical group. John has also carried out a wide variety of other advisory work for banks and has been engaged by the regulators to provide advice on corporate governance, high-level controls and other regulatory matters.

Principal external appointments:

  • Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair at St James’s Place Plc.

Mary Vilakazi, Non-Executive Director

Appointed: April 2024

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Mary is the CEO of FirstRand Group. She was appointed as executive director in 2018, as the Group COO. In this capacity, she was the group executive director responsible for FirstRand’s diversification strategies in insurance and investment management, as well as the portfolio of subsidiaries in broader Africa and central group functions. Prior to this role, Mary held the positions of Deputy CEO of MMI Holdings Limited and CFO of the Mineral Services Group, and she is a 2016 World Economic Forum Young Global leader. Mary started her career at PwC, where she was admitted as one of their youngest partners globally in 2005.

Principal external appointments:

  • Chief executive officer of FirstRand Limited and FirstRand Bank Limited
  • Non-executive director of FirstRand Investment Management Holdings Limited
  • Board member of the Banking Association of South Africa

Appointed: April 2024

Relevant skills, strengths and experience:

Mary is the CEO of FirstRand Group. She was appointed as executive director in 2018, as the Group COO. In this capacity, she was the group executive director responsible for FirstRand’s diversification strategies in insurance and investment management, as well as the portfolio of subsidiaries in broader Africa and central group functions. Prior to this role, Mary held the positions of Deputy CEO of MMI Holdings Limited and CFO of the Mineral Services Group, and she is a 2016 World Economic Forum Young Global leader. Mary started her career at PwC, where she was admitted as one of their youngest partners globally in 2005.

Principal external appointments:

  • Chief executive officer of FirstRand Limited and FirstRand Bank Limited
  • Non-executive director of FirstRand Investment Management Holdings Limited
  • Board member of the Banking Association of South Africa

Markos Davias, Non-Executive Director

Appointed: April 2024

After obtaining a BCom Accounting and Finance (Hons) degree in 2002, Markos joined Deloitte as a Trainee Accountant, later assumed the role of Manager and after 2 years was promoted to senior manager.

In 2008, he joined RMB where he worked for twelve years; he became CFO of RMB in 2015 until 2020. In April 2020, Markos joined the FNB Executive team as FNB CFO. 

On 1 April 2024, Markos joined FirstRand as Group CFO. 

Appointed: April 2024

After obtaining a BCom Accounting and Finance (Hons) degree in 2002, Markos joined Deloitte as a Trainee Accountant, later assumed the role of Manager and after 2 years was promoted to senior manager.

In 2008, he joined RMB where he worked for twelve years; he became CFO of RMB in 2015 until 2020. In April 2020, Markos joined the FNB Executive team as FNB CFO. 

On 1 April 2024, Markos joined FirstRand as Group CFO. 

Romy Murray, Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: August 2021

Board Committee membership:

  • Remuneration Committee (Chair)
  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience
Romy Murray has over 30 years of experience in the financial services and oil industries. Romy spent much of her executive career at Standard Chartered, including in senior positions in the Bank’s risk and legal functions.

 

She started her career in the oil industry with Shell. Romy is also an experienced executive coach and an ambassador for Women on Boards. 

Principal external appointments:

  • Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Board Risk and Audit Committees of Nomura Europe Holdings plc / Nomura International PLC/ Nomura Bank International plc
  • Non-executive director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Banque Nomura France

Appointed: August 2021

Board Committee membership:

  • Remuneration Committee (Chair)
  • Audit Committee (Member)
  • Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee (Member)
  • Risk Committee (Member)

Relevant skills, strengths and experience
Romy Murray has over 30 years of experience in the financial services and oil industries. Romy spent much of her executive career at Standard Chartered, including in senior positions in the Bank’s risk and legal functions.

 

She started her career in the oil industry with Shell. Romy is also an experienced executive coach and an ambassador for Women on Boards. 

Principal external appointments:

  • Chair of the Remuneration Committee and member of the Board Risk and Audit Committees of Nomura Europe Holdings plc / Nomura International PLC/ Nomura Bank International plc
  • Non-executive director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Banque Nomura France

Alasdair Lenman, Independent Non-Executive Director

Appointed: 1 July 2024. 

Alasdair was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) from 2017 and he also took on the role of Interim Chief Executive during his time there.

Alasdair’s banking and finance career prior to joining YBS is extensive and he has held various senior roles such as CFO at BGL Group (comparethemarket.com) and various positions at Lloyds Banking Group including: Finance Director of Retail Products and Intermediaries, Mortgages and Savings Finance Director and Director of Direct and Corporate Partnerships (Insurance). 

In addition to this Alasdair has served as a non-executive director at Coventry Building Society and Sainsbury’s Bank.

Appointed: 1 July 2024. 

Alasdair was Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) from 2017 and he also took on the role of Interim Chief Executive during his time there.

Alasdair’s banking and finance career prior to joining YBS is extensive and he has held various senior roles such as CFO at BGL Group (comparethemarket.com) and various positions at Lloyds Banking Group including: Finance Director of Retail Products and Intermediaries, Mortgages and Savings Finance Director and Director of Direct and Corporate Partnerships (Insurance). 

In addition to this Alasdair has served as a non-executive director at Coventry Building Society and Sainsbury’s Bank.