Card Industry Professionals Appoints First Non–Executive Director

Card Industry Professionals (CIP) has appointed Mark Westwell as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Board.

Mark has had an extensive career in international banking, including previous roles at JP Morgan and Chase Manhattan Ltd and brings a wealth of knowledge to the position. He has a track record of helping companies to grow, change and innovate and has earned a reputation within the banking sector for his business acumen and effective communication skills.

CIP was formed in 2017 by Director Ciaran Savage, joined in August 2018 by Operations Director Lyn Savage and Sales Director John Selby. The company has enjoyed strong growth and now has over 150 sales professionals servicing merchants across the UK. Known for its strong customer service ethos and innovation, the time is now right for the company to appoint its first Chair of the Board.

Announcing the appointment, Director Ciaran Savage said: “The management team is excited to welcome Mark to the CIP team to support and oversee our development as we move into the next phase of the company’s growth. Mark brings many years of experience within the banking and financial industry, and we look forward to him providing a positive influence on the structure and scalability of the company.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mark Westwell said: “I’m delighted to be joining the Executive team at Card Industry professionals (CIP) and I’m looking forward to helping them achieve their strategic growth objectives in my capacity as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Board. At the core of the CIP culture, is long-term relationships and high-quality customer service. This is an excellent foundation from which to build the business, as the economy and our merchants recover from the many challenges of the COVID pandemic. The last twelve months have seen a huge acceleration in the adoption of digital solutions and together with the continued momentum of ‘Open Banking’ and ‘Open Finance’, some very exciting times lie ahead for us all in the world of Fintech.”

Prior to joining CIP, Mark Westwell was Senior Vice President at State Street Bank, where he served as a Board Director for regulated businesses both in the UK and South Africa. His earlier career includes positions with the Bank of New York and NatWest.