NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY APPOINTS PATRICK ELTRIDGE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Nationwide Building Society has appointed Patrick Eltridge, a senior executive with a 30-year career spanning financial services, telecommunications, start-ups and management consulting, as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Patrick, whose appointment is subject to regulatory approval, has significant expertise in technology development and operations, resilience, innovation and transformation. He is expected to join in February 2019 and will become a member of the Society’s Executive Committee.

He is currently Group Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Royal Bank of Scotland, a role he has held since March 2015. While at RBS, Patrick is credited with the successful delivery of one of the most challenging IT and operational resilience improvement programmes ever seen in the financial services sector.

Prior to RBS, Patrick was CIO for Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications business, and before that was Group IT Strategy and Architecture Director for Standard Chartered globally.

As COO, Patrick’s focus will be on the Society’s IT infrastructure ensuring that, through the development of new, innovative technology, the Society continues to deliver the real value, trust and service for members every day.

Joe Garner, Nationwide Building Society Chief Executive, said: “I’m thrilled that Patrick has agreed to join us at what is an important time for Nationwide Building Society. He is a hugely experienced and successful executive whose wide-ranging expertise will prove invaluable as we create a more simple, agile and innovative Society that remains steadfastly focused on delivering legendary service to our members.

“His wealth of experience, combined with the strong foundations we’ve laid to date, means we are well placed to ensure we enter the next chapter of Nationwide’s history with confidence.”

Patrick Eltridge comments: “Nationwide Building Society is incredibly well positioned as a much trusted organisation in peoples’ financial lives, and I am excited to join a highly performing team that cares deeply about its mission to provide a seamless and accessible experience for its members.”