Meet the team

Elizabeth joined Charity Bank in March 2025, after previously working in Account Management in the AdTech industry. In 2024, she graduated from the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School with a master’s degree in Social Innovation. She blends this professional and academic experience to contribute to Charity Bank as Marketing and Impact Administrator.

In her spare time she can be found at a dance class, walking in the Peak District, checking out a local restaurant or testing out a new recipe book.

Mateen joined Charity Bank in 2024 following 3 years at Lloyds Banking Group. Mateen works in Finance, as part of the the Treasury team.

As a Treasury Analyst, Mateen works with the team to ensure the safety of the Bank’s balance sheet by managing our liquidity, interest rate, and capital risks.

Mateen is currently studying towards becoming a qualified accounting, as he is currently on the Management Level of CIMA.

In his spare time, Mateen enjoys playing football and going for walks in the Lake District.

Paul joined Charity Bank in October 2024 after enjoying a near 36-year career with NatWest Bank. During that time, he spent 28 years supporting commercial and corporate businesses with their financial needs, with the last 13 years spent leading a Relationship Management team in the Gatwick area.

His role now is to help social sector organisations with their funding requirements, working closely with the front-line team to support organisations to deliver on their social purpose.

Outside of work, Paul enjoys football and is still involved at grass roots level having previously both played for and managed his local team. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Kirsty Joined Charity Bank in January 2025, bringing over a decade of experience in commercial and real estate banking, previous working at Octopus Real Estate, Aldermore Bank and HSBC.

Kirsty acts as the main point of contact for both introducers and clients throughout the West Midlands that are looking to deliver social impact through growth and raising the profile of Charity Bank. Additionally, Kirsty provides guidance and support throughout the loan application process and, on an ongoing basis thereafter.

Outside of work Kirsty plays hockey for Cannock Hockey Club where she is a valued member of the team. She also enjoys other activities such as golf, cycling and long walks with her partner and two cocker spaniels.

“My role is to help support the growth and expansion of organisations who are looking to deliver social impact and positive change throughout the Midlands.

I am looking forward to building relationships with new and existing clients and helping Charity Bank support more organisations with the funding they need to make the world a better place.”

Joining Charity Bank as Senior Lending Manager covering the Midlands, Wesley has 19 years’ experience in the Banking and Finance sector. During that time Wesley has covered Retail, Operational and Business Banking.

“Having previously worked for a Social Impact Lender I have seen first-hand the benefits of supporting organisations and helping them do good in their local communities.

Outside of work I spend my free time with my wife and Dexter, my 12-year-old, young-at-heart Jack Russel Terrier. We enjoy walking, kayaking and cycling.”

Yashmin Harun BEM was appointed as Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in June 2024. Yashmin is the founding Chair of the Muslimah Sports Association (MSA), a charity that aims to empower Muslim women through sports. Yashmin is also an Independent Non-Executive Director at British Fencing, an elected Director at the London FA, an FA National Game Board member, an FA Council Member, and Chair of Frenford and MSA WFC. She has recently been appointed by the GLA as a trustee for London Sport.

Yashmin has over 20 years of banking experience and currently works for SMBC BI, and has recently completed her Master’s in Global Public Policy. Her most recent awards include the Asian Woman of Achievement Award for Sports and The National Diversity Award in 2023. Yashmin has recently been appointed to the Islamophobia Taskforce group led by Kick It Out and Baroness Syeda Warsi.

Paul joined Charity Bank as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of Risk Committee in June 2022. Paul has previously worked for a number of large international corporate and investment banks, predominantly in the area of Risk Management.

His most recent role was that of Chief Risk Officer for Mizuho International PLC. Prior to that Paul held a number of senior positions in a variety of British, Continental European and North American banks. Paul has a MBA from Bayes Business School and a Professional Certificate in Coaching from Henley Business School.

As Head of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, Grace works across a variety of areas including capital raising, new product development, and leading Charity Bank’s Net Zero Strategy development. Grace also chairs our EDI Working Group and Blended Finance Advisory Panel.

Grace is passionate about using finance for good, working in the social impact investment sector for over 14 years. Before joining Charity Bank, Grace spent 11 years at Resonance. As a Senior Investment Manager, she led the launch and deployment of the Resonance Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) Fund, raising capital from individual investors to back a portfolio of social enterprises across the South West and West Midlands. Grace also co-led the development of Resonance’s first Community Development Finance Institution, making more flexible and affordable growth capital available for social enterprises across the UK.

Outside of work, Grace loves reading (exploring everything from ‘alternative economics’ to Jane Austen novels), trying to headstand at yoga, and cracking escape rooms. She is also currently learning how to Argentine Tango at ‘Strictly-inspired’ ballroom dance classes!

“My role supports the delivery of our suite of ethical savings accounts. I assist with improving the full product life cycle our savers’ experience whilst saving for good with us.”

Claire joined Charity Bank in 2013 following nine years in a small family run financial services firm. Since she has become a key member of the Savings team, previously serving as a Savings Officer and supporting as interim Savings Manager before utilising her skills in her current role.

In Claire’s new role she is able to use her experience to support the needs of savers’ whose funds are then on-lent creating demonstrable social impact across the UK. Claire really enjoys that our savers’ still receive personal service and can contact us easily whenever they need to.

Claire is family oriented and loves to spend time with her husband and two children in addition to extended family.

“My role is to oversee corporate governance arrangements at Charity Bank to ensure that we put in place a robust system of rules, practices and processes to manage and control the company. Good corporate governance contributes to long-term company performance by helping to build an environment of trust, transparency and accountability.”

Fabien has over 15 years’ experience in Financial Services. Prior to joining Charity Bank in September 2024, he was Company Secretary and Chief Commercial Officer at AIM-listed Mortgage Advice Bureau, and before that he worked in investment banking. He holds an MSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School.

Outside of work, Fabien enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, and his interests include exercising (mainly yoga, running and swimming) as well as baking bread.

“Charity Bank is a fantastic organisation that is able to attract high calibre individuals similarly driven by a sense of social purpose. I really enjoy working with my colleagues and trying to effect positive social changes.”

Jala brings over a decade of experience in banking and finance. Since joining Charity Bank in September 2022 as a Lending Manager, she has been passionately supporting organisations across the Northwest with lending for social purpose. Jala serves as the borrowers’ main point of contact, guiding them through every step of the loan process from the initial conversation to completion.

“As I’m local to Manchester, I love visiting clients across the North and I consider it the best part of my job. Before Charity Bank, I was a Business Development Manager/Senior Loan Manager at GC Business Finance, helping SMEs secure vital funding. My career also includes nearly 10 years at Barclays as a Relationship Manager. I now combine my financial expertise with my social values, using finance as a force for good. Outside of work, I love to travel—having explored Asia, North America, South America, and the Caribbean. When I have the time, I also like to practice hot yoga.”

Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation Group: CAF in the UK, CAF America, CAF Canada, CAF Financial Solutions Ltd and CAF Bank.

Neil has a distinguished career in both business and the charitable sector. He joined the Charities Aid Foundation as Chief Executive in October 2020 from the international disability charity Leonard Cheshire, where he served as Chief Executive since 2016. Under Neil’s leadership, annual charitable contributions entrusted to CAF topped £1 billion for the first time and continue to grow. As a result, hundreds of thousands of charities in more than 100 countries have been supported to deliver lasting benefits in communities around the world. Neil has led CAF through the growth of the CAF International network of partners a global collaboration of independent philanthropic organisations dedicated to accelerating social progress across the world.

During 25 years in business Neil held senior leadership roles in the telecoms industry in North America and Europe. These include Head of Strategy and General Manager of Retail and Online at O2, CEO of Cincinnati Bell Wireless and Director of CTIA the Wireless Association. Neil is a law graduate from Newcastle University and holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. In 2020 he was one of the first charity sector leaders to be invited onto the National Leadership Centre Public Leaders Programme.

Neil lost his sight aged 21 and is registered blind. He is a co-founder of the charity Blind In Business, a Trustee of ACEVO, a non-Executive Director of Charity Bank and a Foundation Member of Crown Agents. He was previously Co-Chair of the Disability Charities Consortium, a group of nine of the UK’s largest disability charities dedicated to promoting the rights and interests of 14 million disabled people. He acted as an advisor to the UK government on the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act in the 1990’s, which led to the Equalities Act 2010.

In 2002 Neil was awarded the OBE for services to British Telecommunications and charity.

* Nominated by Charities Aid Foundation

“In my role as Treasurer, I ensure the Bank’s cash holdings, payments, and investments are made as efficiently and safely as possible. I am also responsible for ensuring the safety and soundness of the Bank’s balance sheet by managing our liquidity, interest rate, and capital risks.”

Karen has 20 years of experience in banking and has worked in various positions in a treasury capacity in Europe, followed by a decade covering similar topics in Asia. Prior to joining Charity Bank, she was Head of Balance Sheet Management at Sainsbury’s Bank, a Director within Moody’s Analytics, and a Director within Asia Pacific Treasury for the Royal Bank of Scotland. She was previously CFO for ALMA, the industry body for treasury professionals in the UK, and continues as an active member to promote treasury education in the UK and globally.

In her spare time, Karen likes to travel with her husband and daughter, with whom she is learning Spanish. She has close ties with a children’s charity in Nepal, for whom she learned web design, and hopes to visit again soon.

Karen holds a degree in Economics from the University of Birmingham in the UK and the ACTM qualification from the Association of Corporate Treasurers.

Susan is originally from South Africa where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant (SA). Her previous roles include working in audit and the construction and retail sector before joining Charity Bank as the Financial Controller in July 2017.

“I have been working at Charity Bank since July 2017 and no two days are the same. We have our routine tasks that need to be completed, but working in a smaller team gives me the opportunity to be involved in projects that make the role challenging. I also love working for an organisation where it is not about the bottom line, but the social impact we are making.”

Prashant brings knowledge of social enterprise, housing, grant and loan funding, and has over 20 years experience delivering equitable urban housing and infrastructure domestically and in Africa and Asia. He works at the Greater London Authority (GLA) leading the investment portfolio in North-East London for the Mayor’s £4bn Affordable Housing Programme. Prior to the GLA, Prashant worked at Reall (formerly Homeless International), where he led investment into social-enterprises across Africa and Asia to accelerate their growth and impact.

Prashant has also spent a number of years working alongside NGOs and local communities in India, to set-up social enterprises and networks to lobby for and deliver more equitable housing and infrastructure in cities. Prashant is a board member for Architecture Sans Frontieres, an organisation that supports communities and practitioners in co-designing more equitable cities.

“My role is to support the Head of Small Social Lending to grow Charity Bank’s lending book through the sourcing and conversion of investment opportunities within the Third Sector – deliberately reaching organisations and communities that have historically been underserved and underfunded and prioritise those organisations that are serving the most vulnerable.

On a personal level I am passionate about helping people and I participate in all manner of charitable activities from fund raising to volunteering at food banks and homeless shelters. I am delighted and excited to be part of Charity Bank and transfer my years of banking experience to support non-profits to maintain, deliver and grow their operations in order to achieve their social mission and goals.”

Marti joined Charity Bank in March 2023 and has over 15 years retail and commercial banking experience, previously working at HSBC, Unity Trust and Nationwide. Outside work Marti enjoys spending time with family and long walks with her dog Penny. And when spare time allows, she enjoys upcycling furniture.

Nathan joined Charity Bank in 2024, bringing with him 18 years of experience in commercial banking, people leadership and channel strategy.  Throughout his career, he has worked in business development roles, with seven years as a specialist to the Charity, Education & Social Enterprise market. Nathan has also served in a non-executive capacity in the Charity sector for the past 15 years, providing him with deep insights into the challenges faced by the organisations we serve at Charity Bank.

Nathan is married with two children and enjoys outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, and spending time on the family allotment. He also values investing time in his faith, family, and friends.

“Charity Bank’s aim is to become the lender of choice for socially minded organisations, and I’m delighted to be playing my part in this.  I have recently joined to oversee regional Relationship Managers in Impact Lending, who work with clients to structure and onboard our larger loans, significantly enhancing our Balance Sheet through a proactive solutions-led approach.

Additionally, I lead the teams that manage the banks lending journeys, from onboarding to completion, and those that provide portfolio management for our existing clients. My colleagues and I are dedicated to delivering an exceptional client experience for organisations borrowing from Charity Bank.”

Tamara’s position as a Compliance Officer is to ensure that the Bank’s policies and procedures are up to date, among other responsibilities. Tamara joined the Bank in 2022, bringing over a decade of experience in financial services, particularly from the payments sector.

Outside of work, Tamara enjoys watching K-dramas, traveling, and learning new languages.

“My favourite aspect of the Bank is its commitment to being a bank for good, which is evident through its ethical work and the communities it supports.”

Ed joined Charity Bank in July 2018 from the social impact investment fund manager, Big Issue Invest, where he was Managing Director for nearly ten years. Ed spent the early part of his career in commercial banking in the U.S. and was head of the Small Business Banking practice of ShoreBank International, where he managed small business loan funds and advised financial institutions in the developing world.

“I believe that banks have a critical social function to fulfil and that Charity Bank can be an agent for positive social change. We are filling a gap in the provision of mainstream finance through our specialist lending to charities and social enterprises. We’re also giving depositors a savings option that is not just ‘ethical’; we ensure that our savers’ funds are only invested in organisations dedicated to addressing disadvantage, improving lives and strengthening communities.”

As part of the savings team at Charity Bank, Tayeba is committed to delivering exceptional customer service. Her primary responsibilities include assisting individuals with opening accounts, performing administrative tasks, and providing comprehensive support to both new and existing customers. Tayeba strives to ensure that all customer needs are met efficiently, effectively, and with a friendly, helpful attitude.

“I joined Charity Bank in 2023 and feel incredibly fortunate to work for an organisation that supports numerous charities and social organisations. My role allows me to contribute to the bank’s mission of making a positive impact on the community.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our two young boys. I’m very grateful to work for an organisation that allows me to balance my professional and personal life.”

Denise has 35 years experience in Commercial Banking, having started her banking career at NatWest on a Management Development programme. She joined Charity bank in January 2023 and feels privileged to have worked in the Not-For-Profit sector for 15 years as a Banking specialist. Denise has worked with a range of Charities, Social Enterprises, Community Interest Companies as well as professionals within the sector throughout my career.

“Charity Bank is a bank for the sector, owned by the Sector, and it really does make a difference to the organisations who seek funding to fulfil their mission. As an ethical lending manager, I’m passionate about working with these organisations, spending time to understand their operational and financial models and risk assessing if loan funding is right for them. I will additionally provide support to the organisations throughout the process. I also enjoy taking part in sector events across the North region as well.”

Kirstie has worked in banking specific finance and treasury roles for over 20 years and joined Charity bank in 2017, becoming CFO in 2021.

Mike was appointed as a non-executive director in 2017, and as senior independent non-executive director in 2022. He had been an advisor to the Charity Bank board credit committee since 2014.

Mike worked in investment and corporate banking in London, the Middle and Far East. He retired in 2015 as CEO of the South East Asian operations of an international bank where he also managed the group’s international principal investment management portfolio. He has a wide experience of corporate lending and recovery, risk management and financial advisory.

Since 2019 Mike has also been a non-executive director of the Ocean Housing Group, a housing association and property developer in the west country, where he chairs the audit and risk committee.

Nicola joined Charity Bank in June 2022 as a member of the HR team. Administering payroll and our benefit schemes for all of our colleagues, she also coordinates and delivers a range of learning and development activities within the Bank.

Nicola is a Level 7 qualified, CIPD graduate member with 15 years’ experience working in Human Resources in the retail and banking sectors. During her time overseas, she worked as an English Teacher, gaining her Diploma in Education & Training in order to support the education of others and now utilises these skills in her day-to-day activities within the Bank.

During Nicola’s time away from work, she enjoys travelling overseas and spending time with family and friends. She likes to keep active by attending Pilates classes and belongs to a local running group.