Skipton Building Society has appointed Sarah Whitney to its board.
Subject to regulatory approval, Whitney will also become the new non-executive chair of Connells Group from current chair, Mark Lund, in September.
In joining the Skipton Board, Whitney will have oversight of the Skipton Group, a collection of businesses spanning the housing, IT, and financial services industries.
The Group, which employs around 18,000 people, includes: Skipton Building Society, Connells Group, Skipton International, Skipton Business Finance and Jade.
Joining Skipton’s Board, Whitney brings an extensive background in property and finance through holding a range of senior roles across a number of sectors.
A former PwC partner, she has held senior leadership roles at DTZ and CBRE.
She is an experienced non-executive director, serving on the boards of BBGI Global Infrastructure SA, Bellway plc, Tritax EuroBox plc, and JP Morgan Global Growth & Income plc.
Whitney is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Gwyn Burr, chair of the Skipton Group, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Sarah in her new role as a non-executive director at Skipton.
“In appointing her to our board, we are bringing in a skilled leader with a wealth of valuable experience to help us further strengthen and harness the large Skipton Group.
“Working alongside the management team at Connells, Sarah’s expertise in the property and financial services landscape in particular will ensure this significant Group business remains an industry leader for many years to come.”
Whitney added: “I am excited to be joining the board of Skipton.
“With mutuality in its blood thanks to the 170-year-old building society, a new group chief executive in Stuart Haire, and a clear vision, purpose and strategy, I am looking forward to helping drive this exciting business forward. Whether people are saving for their future, moving house, or running a business, the Skipton Group supports hundreds of thousands of people every single day.
“And I’m eager to continue building on the impressive work being done and in particular to become the new non-executive chair of the Connells Group.”
