Folk2Folk, the platform for local and rural business, has announced the appointment of Giles Cross as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

Cross joined Folk2Folk as chief marketing officer in June 2017 and has over 25 years’ financial services experience to Folk2Folk and was most recently a member of the senior leadership teams at wealth managers Sanlam UK and The English Mutual Group.

Cross said: “Our intention is to build a best loved, UK financial services brand; a business built on the value of fair exchange, that delivers stakeholder and shareholder value in equal measure, with a significant national presence: online, in the high street and in the mind of the consumer.

“Our unique local lending offering and asset backed approach provides a fair, transparent and tangible form of finance that’s attractive to both lenders and borrowers.”

Tim Sawyer, chairman of Folk2Folk, said: “Giles has demonstrated dynamic leadership qualities since joining Folk2Folk. His clear passion and understanding of our purpose and what we seek to achieve combined with his vision, skillset and clear ability to execute, make him the ideal person to lead us through the next stage of our growth. I look forward to working with him and helping him achieve his goals for the business.”

Louis Mathers, co-founder of Folk2Folk, added: “Giles has made a huge and positive impact in a very short space of time. He truly understands our business, our heritage, what makes us special and since joining, has been able to articulate our purpose, our value and our point of difference in a way that is now crystal clear to all.

“Folk2Folk is precious to a great many people: investors, lenders, borrowers and stakeholders, many of whom have been with us since the very beginning and I am confident that the business is not only in great hands but also has an amazing future ahead of it.”