Shawbrook Bank appoints director of shared services

By Bridging Loan Directory 22nd April 2021

Shawbrook Bank, a specialist bank for UK SMEs and consumers, has appointed its first Director of Shared Services.

Phill Gleave, who has worked in the UK banking industry for over 25 years, has been promoted from within to take on the role following four years with the Bank.

He joined Shawbrook in 2017 as Head of Outsourced Services and Complaints before progressing into Head of Ops Resiliency and Head of Shared Services as the Bank’s internal structure evolved.

As Director of Shared Services, Phill will be responsible for around 45 staff across Complaints and Remediation, Payment Services, Facilities Management, Operational Channel Management and Capacity Planning, Operational Training and Business Effectiveness and Process Management.

Phill, pictured, from Manchester, said:

“The creation of the Shared Services department is an important cog in the wider Shawbrook machine.

It’s a provision of cross-functional services aligned to the Bank’s overall strategy – such as payment services, facilities management and operational training.

By bringing them together under one roof, it creates a true sense of purpose and direction as well as encouraging a continuous improvement culture through better management of processes which will only be a positive for Shawbrook.”

Phill’s banking career started at the age of 16 with NatWest. Learning about the industry and becoming familiar with NatWest’s internal structure, he soon progressed into more demanding roles across Operations, HR and Project Management.

He added: “You could jump from role to role back then if you were willing – and it was great for personal development.

That period has certainly stood me in good stead during my career and will continue to help me in my new Director role at Shawbrook.”

Shawbrook’s Shared Services operation was created as part of a modernisation of Shawbrook’s Chief Operating Office structure, designed to introduce better processes and procedures, improve controls and governance and encourage shared technologies and best practice.

The new COO structure will strengthen Shawbrook’s central functions to support the Bank’s corporate strategy and growth ambitions.