Carolyn Sims

Director of Lending

Carolyn began her banking career with National Westminster Bank before moving on to MLA Bank Limited where she had responsibility for property investment and development lending.

After Dexia Public Finance acquired MLA Bank in the early 1990’s, Carolyn went on to become responsible for the bank’s social housing activities. She arranged finance for the first housing PFI scheme and also worked on project finance and limited recourse financing deals.

Carolyn is a trustee of a number of charities.

Chris Tweedie

Regional Manager

Chris has been in banking for 30 years.

Before moving to Charity Bank, she managed a customer portfolio of small and medium sized businesses, providing support, guidance and a range of funding options. In addition, she specialises in finance for social and affordable housing providers.

In her spare time, Chris enjoys travelling and walking in our beautiful countryside.

Peter Hughes

Regional Manager, Midlands

Peter is our Regional Manager covering the Midlands with responsibility for the development of the bank’s support to Charities, Civil Society organisations and Social Enterprises in the area.

Peter joined Charity Bank in 2007, he has worked in the banking sector for over 30 years where he has been a relationship manager primarily involved with the organisations who operate in the social economy.

Peter is a trustee of one charity.

In his spare time he enjoys walks with the family’s dogs in the countryside.

Lisa Gilbert

Loans Administration Officer

Lisa is responsible for the administration of Charity Bank’s portfolio of loans after they are approved. She helps guide and assist the bank’s charitable borrowers through the loan process and assumes responsibility for the team in the absence of the Head of Loans Administration.

Lisa has over twenty five years of banking experience. She spent most of her career in management positions for the Woolwich and Barclays.

Prior to joining the Charity Bank in 2010, Lisa was Woolwich Operations Manager for Barclays responsible for all Woolwich account back office processing and a team of over 200 playing an integral role in the migration of Woolwich customers into Barclays the Woolwich.

Sharon Gooch

Deal Manager

Sharon joined Charity Bank in June 2015 after taking a short career break to spend time with her children.

Prior to joining Charity Bank, she worked for Barclays. She has spent the last 15 years working in corporate finance risk, specialising in structured project finance and managing real estate, PFI/PPP and renewable energy assets.

Sharon’s role at Charity Bank is to assist borrowers to draw down their loan, following its approval, as seamlessly as possible.

Sharon says: “It is fantastic to have found an opportunity at Charity Bank to draw on my experience in finance to help others make a difference in our communities.”

Stacey Goodrich

Loans Administration Assistant

Stacey joined Charity Bank in April 2017 after working for 18 years in high volume administrative and customer-focused roles within different industries including travel, hospitality and care.

Stacey is responsible for assisting Charity Bank’s Loan Officers with administrative duties in the Loans department. She says: “I’m passionate about working with a team of people for a bank that does good for charities and social enterprises.”

Debbie Harmsworth

Loans Administration Manager

Debbie joined Charity Bank after 23 years with a high street bank.

A relocation to Kent prompted her decision to move outside of mainstream banking and she has not looked back on that decision, enjoying the satisfaction which comes from knowing the work she is doing is helping other people.

In her spare time Debbie enjoys sailing and skiing.

Mark Herbert

Lending Manager

Mark started his banking career spending 15 years with NatWest Bank, before moving on to Unity Trust Bank. During his eight years at Unity Trust he worked with the charity and social economy sectors providing banking and advice services.

A five-year spell at the Co-operative Bank then followed where Mark worked with several the UK’s largest charities in its Charity and Social Enterprise team. Mark played a key role in establishing a loan fund for Responsible Finance Providers in conjunction with Unity Trust and the Regional Growth Fund.

Away from work Mark is a qualified youth football coach.

Mark says, “Having joined Charity Bank in early 2017, I’m looking forward to continuing to work with and supporting charities and social enterprises.”

Jeremy Ince

Regional Manager, North

Jeremy joined the Charity Bank team in 2008 as Lending Manager, bringing with him over 20 years of business experience after a successful career across a range of senior management roles with one on the major high street banks.

He is passionate about the community and voluntary sector and uses his skills to assist organisations help evaluate the benefits of social finance as part of their funding mix.

In addition to his work with Charity Bank, Jeremy is trustee of a major youth charity in Yorkshire. As such he is acutely aware of the funding challenges and opportunities organisations face in the delivery of their mission.

Martin McCarthy

Regional Manager, Northern Ireland

Martin joined Charity Bank in January 2018 and is our Regional Manager in Northern Ireland. A Graduate in Banking and Finance from University of Ulster, Martin spent more than 30 years with AIB Group/First Trust Bank in various locations around Northern Ireland and in a variety of roles including Customer Relationship Management and Lending Manager. While at First Trust he chaired the Staff Charity Committee which had a number of very successful fundraising partnership with local charities.

In the voluntary sector Martin is a Director of Building Change Trust where he is a Board member and Chair of the Finance sub-committee. Martin also chairs his local church Finance Committee.

In his spare time, he describes himself as a music aficionado, and a sideline consultant for his youngest son’s football team.

Sue Potter

Loans Administrator

Sue is responsible for guiding and assisting Charity Bank’s borrowers through the loan process from sanction of the loan to drawdown, ensuring the process is as smooth as possible.

Sue has over 29 years’ previous experience in the banking industry building her varied career with NatWest. Sue’s expertise lies with lending; “I feel joining Charity Bank has been very rewarding, enabling my wealth of knowledge to be put to use in an ethical banking environment.”

Tim Preston

Lending Manager

Tim spent the first 33 years of his banking career at NatWest before joining Charity Bank in February 2017.

Tim says; “I’m excited to be using my experience as a Senior Relationship Manager assisting charities and social enterprises in London and the South East to achieve their financial goals.”

In his spare time, Tim enjoys attending the London NFL games and spending time with his family and two grandsons.

Adam Ruffinato

National Lending Manager

Adam is our Senior Lending Manager covering the whole of the UK, with a particular interest in helping our customers with more complex or specialist borrowing needs.

Prior to joining Charity Bank in 2015, Adam worked at Unity Trust Bank for 7 years specialising in banking provision and lending to charities and social enterprises. His most recent role was Head of Social Economy.

In his spare time he enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Bernie Teggart

Lending Manager

Bernie joined the Charity Bank team as a Lending Manager in December 2017, having spent ten years at the forefront of Business and Corporate Banking in Ulster Bank Limited (Part of the RBS group).

During her career at Ulster Bank she has managed a large portfolio of high net worth corporate and property customers both as a Manager in the Business Banking NI team before moving across to the Capital Resolution/Global Restructuring team.

Bernie has significant experience in corporate and property lending, restructuring and capital resolution.

Simon Thorrington

Regional Manager, North West and Scotland

Simon is our Regional Manager in the North West and Scotland having been with the bank since 2006.

His working life began with a 15 year career in lending with Midland Bank, followed by a further 15 years in the charity sector, working for a large faith charity and then establishing two new charities in the region involved in regeneration, and in the provision of support and accommodation for homeless people.

Simon is a trustee of two charities and has a passion for helping charities to realise their full potential, ultimately to serve their beneficiaries. His hobbies include fell-walking, running, listening to and playing music, and spending time with his growing family.

Lee Jagger

Regional Manager

Lee brings over 25 years’ experience within the financial services industry having worked for two large global commercial banks prior to spending seven years working in the social economy with Unity Trust Bank.

Lee has worked in retail and private banking, but most of his time has been in relationship management roles in SME, commercial and social economy sectors. At Unity Trust Bank, Lee was the National Lending Manager for Responsible Finance. He provided wholesale and direct funding lines to Responsible Finance Providers that used these funds to give access to finance to enterprises and individuals that couldn’t access finance from high street banks. Latterly Lee held the role of Social Impact and CSR Manager.

Lee is the former President of a Chamber of Trade Commerce (2011-16) and is passionate about helping to create a strong, sustainable and inclusive society.

Away from work he likes hiking and taking part in the WOLF Run (10k run with swims and obstacles), in 2018 he completed four runs to gain Alpha WOLF status. He is also a volunteer at a local children’s hospice. Not to forget he is an avid Leeds United fan!

Lawrence Nwanze

Lending Officer

Lawrence joined Charity Bank as a Lending Officer in April 2019, having spent four years at Lloyds Banking Group. His career began as a Project Management Officer, working on large scale IT change projects. He then transitioned onto the Lloyds’ Corporate Banking Small to Medium Enterprises & Mid-Markets graduate scheme. Having worked within a number of roles, Lawrence most recently acted as an Associate for Lloyds’ Mid-Markets Housebuilder and Construction team, in which he helped manage a portfolio of some of the biggest names in these sectors.

Lawrence was attracted to Charity Bank due to the company’s ethos and the impact the bank has on communities nationwide.

Lawrence says: “I am excited to join a bank who truly believes in working with organisations who have a real social impact in their respective communities and who aim to be at the forefront of future opportunities.”

Away from work, Lawrence is a keen traveller and has a personal goal to visit every country in the world before the age of 60.

Baljeet Bassi

Lending Manager

After 14 years working in the commercial banking sector, Baljeet joined Charity Bank as a Lending Manager in April 2019.

His decision to move to Charity Bank was influenced by a desire to use his banking experience to help strengthen social sector organisations and improve their capacity to benefit society.

Having obtained a degree in Business Management, Baljeet started his banking career in 2004 working in personal banking for Lloyds TSB. Since then, Baljeet has worked for both RBS and Santander as a Relationship Manager in the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise market.

In his spare time, Baljeet enjoys travelling and spending time with his wife and children.

Justin Hort

Head of Savings

Justin spent sixteen years of his banking career with National Westminster Bank where he led teams with the responsibility for meeting the savings needs of businesses and charities. While at National Westminster Bank he arranged sponsorship for Lashings All-Stars to support its fundraising in support of local cricket clubs, schools and charities through legends cricket matches.

Justin joined Charity Bank in December 2014 where he has developed suites of deposit accounts for private individuals, businesses and charities that can be applied for online. These accounts allow the banks savers to earn a fair return and support the extraordinary work of charities and social enterprises across the UK.

Justin Halls

Savings Manager

Justin joined Charity Bank in December 2018 as a Savings Manager, having worked in the various operational roles in the Banking and Finance Industry for the last 20 years.

Justin is excited about joining Charity Bank and its mission that is not driven by profits but a shared idea of the world we want to live in."

Claire Springett

Savings Officer

Claire joined Charity Bank in 2013 following nine years in a small family run financial services firm. In this time she gained the key skills for a role in the Savings Team.

An ambition to further her career in alternative financial services brought her to Charity Bank. Claire is passionate about supporting people who save with the bank and keeping their best interests at heart.

Philippa Calver

Savings Officer

Since 1979 Philippa has been employed in financial and customer services roles, ranging from city banks to international banking in HK.

return to the UK in 1993 Philippa began a career in the charitable sector when she joined CAF working for CafCash which later became CAF Bank. After 13 years service Philippa joined Charity Bank in the role of Deposits Administrator in 2005.

Coming to work is a pleasure, says Philippa as I have the best of all worlds; enjoying the personal contact with clients, working with figures and knowing that Charity Bank is making a difference.

Andrea Collard

Savings Administrator

Andrea joined Charity Bank in March 2017 as Saving Administrator after working for a major high street bank. She has 30 years’ experience in various customer service and real estate finance support roles.

Andrea says, “joining the Charity Bank family has been a breath of fresh air, with everyone focused on doing the right thing for the customer and the local communities they serve.”

Nick Murray

Savings Administrator

Nick joined the Charity Bank team as a Savings Administrator in March 2018, having worked in the Banking and Finance industry for over 30 years. He has spent the last 16 years working for The Royal Bank of Scotland Group in various customer service roles, including working with a portfolio of Charities, Housing Associations and Social Enterprises.

Nick says: "I was pleased to accept the role at Charity Bank as it offers a refreshing approach to Banking."

George Roff

Savings Support

George joined Charity Bank in April 2018 and now assists the savings department in his role as Savings Support.

George says, “being part of the Charity Bank family and providing our savers with excellent customer service is what drives me. Connecting our savers with case studies that illustrates where their money goes is inspiring.”

Edward Siegel

Chief Executive

Ed joined the Bank as Chief Executive in July 2018 from Big Issue Invest (BII), the social investment arm of The Big Issue Group, where he was Managing Director for nearly ten years. During that time, BII grew from a book of social enterprise loans of around £2 million to a diverse array of social funds under management of over £65 million.

Ed has over 30 years of corporate banking, social investment and business consulting experience. He spent the early part of his career in commercial banking, mainly with Credit Suisse. Before joining BII in 2008, Ed was head of the Small Business Banking practice of ShoreBank International (now known as Enclude) where he oversaw the implementation of SME finance programmes and advised financial institutions throughout the developing world.

On the occasion of his appointment, Ed said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role during such an exciting phase of growth for the bank. Charity Bank has a well-earned reputation and one of the best known brands in our sector. Its mission to use money for good was a key factor in my decision to pursue this opportunity. The bank’s community of borrowers, savers, investors and its team are all working towards one goal – to help strengthen charities and social enterprises so that they can create lasting social change.”

Malcolm Elliott

Deputy Chief Executive

Malcolm joined Charity Bank as Deputy CEO in September 2012 and was appointed a Board Executive Director in January 2014.

Malcolm’s career has been mainly in risk and regulatory roles, initially in banking at RBS and Chase Manhattan, followed by a period in banking supervision at the FSA where he was involved with the authorisation of Charity Bank in 2002. He has also spent time working in the insurance sector holding positions as Risk Director with Legal & General, in its Mortgage Distribution Company and in its Wealth Management division, before joining Just Retirement as its Head of Risk Reporting.

Malcolm was also a co-opted member of Charity Bank’s Audit and Compliance Committee between 2003 and 2009. He is a Trustee of Allergy UK.

Gillian Howell

Finance Director

Gillian worked closely with Charity Bank in 2009, covering a number of line and project roles. In February 2016 Gillian was appointed Acting Finance Director.

A Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants body, Gillian has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services sector. She has covered a diverse range of roles from Management, Financial and Strategic accounting through to large scale Programme Management for a range of banks and financial institutions including Deutche Bank, Bankers Trust, Mitsubishi Finance Dean Witter and GT Asset Management.

Since moving into ethical finance, she has used her skills to support Charity Bank’s banking for good model, using finance to support charities and social enterprises across the UK.

Caspar Mackay

Director of Credit

Caspar started his career at HSBC as an International Manager, working for seven years in a variety of commercial and retail banking roles in Asia and the Middle East.

After graduating from INSEAD with distinction, he founded and managed a retail business which he sold in late 2009.

Caspar worked for over four years for Big Issue Invest Limited, before joining Charity Bank in June 2014.

Caspar was made Head of Credit and became an Executive Director of Charity Bank in February 2015.

Carolyn Sims

Director of Lending

Carolyn began her banking career with National Westminster Bank before moving on to MLA Bank Limited where she had responsibility for property investment and development lending.

After Dexia Public Finance acquired MLA Bank in the early 1990’s, Carolyn went on to become responsible for the bank’s social housing activities. She arranged finance for the first housing PFI scheme and also worked on project finance and limited recourse financing deals.

She then worked for the Charities Aid Foundation briefly in 2005 in its business development team before joining Charity Bank in October 2005.

Carolyn is a trustee / treasurer of a number of charities.

George Blunden

Chairman

George joined Charity Bank as Chair in May 2010. His full-time career has ranged from adventure playgrounds to investment banking and fund management. He retired as senior vice president and director from AllianceBernstein Ltd in December 2009. He had previously been chief executive of Union plc; a director of SG Warburg Securities, Seccombe, Marshall and Campion plc; and a non-executive director of Meridian Investment Performance Services.

George is the senior independent director of the insurer, Beazley Plc. In addition, he has always been involved in charitable activities, social housing in particular. He was the Chair of Southern Housing Group from 1993 to 2006 and is now Chair of Stonewater.

Robin Budenberg CBE

Non-Executive Director

Robin joined Charity Bank in February 2015 as a Non-Executive Director. Robin is London Chairman of Centerview Partners, a US based corporate advisory firm and is also a Non-Executive Director of The Big Society Trust.

Robin was previously Chief Executive and subsequently Chairman of UK Financial Investments, the body responsible for managing the Government's investments in the UK banking industry.

Before that, Robin spent 25 years with S G Warburg/UBS advising major UK companies on strategy and corporate transactions. He also advised the UK Government on a number of issues, including the 2008 bailout of the banks.

Robin holds a degree in Law from Exeter University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse.

Mike Crabb

Non-Executive Director

Mike was appointed as a non-executive director in January 2017. He has been an advisor to the Charity Bank board credit committee since June 2014.

Mike recently retired from Standard Bank where he served as Chief Executive of Standard Merchant Bank (Asia) Ltd., based in Singapore, and also managed the bank's principal investment management portfolio.

He has a wide experience of corporate and investment banking having previously been the head of origination in Europe for CIBC World Markets, and of coverage for Standard Bank globally. As well as the business development side, he has also sat on risk committees for both institutions and managed several large recoveries. Mike has worked in the Middle East, Asia and UK.

Malcolm Elliott

Executive Director

Malcolm joined Charity Bank as Deputy CEO in September 2012 and was appointed a Board Executive Director in January 2014.

Malcolm’s career has been mainly in risk and regulatory roles, initially in banking at RBS and Chase Manhattan, followed by a period in banking supervision at the FSA where he was involved with the authorisation of Charity Bank in 2002. He has also spent time working in the insurance sector holding positions as Risk Director with Legal & General, in its Mortgage Distribution Company and in its Wealth Management division, before joining Just Retirement as its Head of Risk Reporting.

Malcolm was also a co-opted member of Charity Bank’s Audit and Compliance Committee between 2003 and 2009. He is a Trustee of Allergy UK.

David Godfrey CBE

Non-Executive Director

David Godfrey was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in August 2013.

David recently retired from his position as Chief Executive of UK Export Finance (ECGD). Prior to taking up the role of CEO, David had been Chief Risk Officer at Pension Insurance Corporation, a speciality insurer of defined benefit pension schemes.

He has extensive experience of corporate banking and insurance, having held posts as Head of Risk for the Wholesale Banking Division at Lloyds Banking Group from 2009 to 2011 and as a member of the Executive Board of Swiss Re. At Swiss Re he was also Chief Risk Officer for the Financial Services Group.

David has also held positions with JP Morgan in London and New York and prior to that, with Bankers Trust Company.

Sir John Low CBE

Non-Executive Director

John is Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and became a Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in February 2011.

Before joining CAF, John was Chief Executive of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), the national charity for deaf and hard of hearing people. John is also an Independent Member of Council at City University of London.

John moved to the voluntary sector after pursuing a twenty year career in the technology industry.

He holds a PhD in Bio-Medical Physics, is a Chartered Engineer, a Companion of the Institute of Management and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. John was awarded a CBE for services to the voluntary sector and to deaf people in 2008 and Knighted in 2017 for charitable services. He was previously an Independent Member of the House of Lords Appointments Commission, Chair of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) and President of the Euclid Network of European social entrepreneurs and civil society leaders.

Sara Llewellin

Non-Executive Director

Sara became a Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in August 2010.

She is Chief Executive of the Barrow Cadbury Trust, a philanthropic grant making foundation working in the fields of public policy and social justice and one of the charitable trusts pioneering social investments. She is on the Governing Council of the European Foundation Centre, the membership body of European Foundations, and is Vice-Chair of the Association of Charitable Foundations.

Sara has had a 35 year career in the not-for-profit sector.

She was previously at the City of London’s City Bridge Trust and before that was Chief Executive of St Giles Trust in South London. She has served on Futurebuilders England’s investment committee and on several lottery boards.

Sara’s roots are in social justice activism. She is a Freeman of the City of London and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Anna Shiel

Non-Executive Director

Anna Shiel was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in April 2014.

Anna is currently Senior Investment Director at Big Society Capital. Big Society Capital is an independent financial institution with a social mission, set up to help grow the social investment market, so that charities and social enterprises who want to borrow money, or take on investment, can access the finance they need to do more.

Before joining Big Society Capital in 2012, Anna was a Director in Merrill Lynch’s Financial Institutions Group with responsibility for UK financial sector coverage. She spent twelve years at Merrill Lynch, providing strategic advice to banks, insurers and asset managers and working on an extensive range of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and IPOs.

Edward Siegel

Chief Executive

Ed joined the Bank as Chief Executive in July 2018 from Big Issue Invest (BII), the social investment arm of The Big Issue Group, where he was Managing Director for nearly ten years. During that time, BII grew from a book of social enterprise loans of around £2 million to a diverse array of social funds under management of over £65 million.

Ed has over 30 years of corporate banking, social investment and business consulting experience. He spent the early part of his career in commercial banking, mainly with Credit Suisse. Before joining BII in 2008, Ed was head of the Small Business Banking practice of ShoreBank International (now known as Enclude) where he oversaw the implementation of SME finance programmes and advised financial institutions throughout the developing world.

On the occasion of his appointment, Ed said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role during such an exciting phase of growth for the bank. Charity Bank has a well-earned reputation and one of the best known brands in our sector. Its mission to use money for good was a key factor in my decision to pursue this opportunity. The bank’s community of borrowers, savers, investors and its team are all working towards one goal – to help strengthen charities and social enterprises so that they can create lasting social change.”

Kate Sayer

Non-Executive Director

Kate Sayer is a UK-based qualified chartered accountant with over 30 years’ experience of auditing and advising charities. Formerly a partner in Sayer Vincent, she now advises charities on governance, risk management and coaching finance teams, Kate is still committed 100% to helping charities become more effective. Her deep knowledge of non-profit governance, legal frameworks, taxation and financial management has been built up over thirty years working in the sector on a range of different assignments.

Kate is the author of several books on financial management for the Directory of Social Change. She is a Senior Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Management at Cass Business School for the diploma and masters in charity finance.

She is the treasurer of the Association of Chairs and on the Finance and Risk Committee of the British Asian Trust.

Toby Walter

Non-Executive Director

Toby became a Non-Executive Director of Charity Bank in December 2016.

Toby is currently Home Insurance Director at Lloyds Banking Group (‘LBG’), where he has led a transformation of the Home Insurance business across LBG’s multiple brands and distribution channels increasing market share and improving customer service.

Prior to this, Toby was Director of LBG’s Chief Executive Office where he provided support and counsel to the CEO during a period of significant restructuring and turnaround of the bank to profitability, dividends and selling government owned shares.

Toby is a Chartered Accountant and has extensive banking experience, having held leadership positions across private equity, leveraged finance, portfolio management, corporate banking, digital, treasury and trading. Toby is an active fundraiser, enjoys mentoring social entrepreneurs and is a keen participant in his local community through managing and coaching rugby teams.