Why did you join Teachers Building Society?
It’s no secret that prior to joining Teachers Building society my career in banking had very much been about that – banks. I’ve worked for some big names both here in the UK and internationally but I’d never dipped my toe into the mutual sector before.
Directly before joining, I took a short break from work to pursue a few long‑held personal goals — both physical and philanthropic. I spent time supporting Sense, a charity close to my heart, and I also fulfilled several personal ambitions, including running marathons, climbing mountains, completing an Ironman or two, and taking on various extreme challenges.
So why Teachers Building Society? Since I was at school in South Africa education has always been close to my heart. In another lifetime I’d have been a maths teacher. Teachers Building Society offered me so many unique opportunities I couldn’t say no – an opportunity to lead in an industry I love but with a mutual, and not just any mutual, the UKs only mutual to specailise by professional sector, and a mutual focused on teachers, a profession I truly admire. It was a no-brainer and I haven’t looked back.
What do you think of the mutual sector?
It’s honestly not what I thought – it’s so much more. Colleagues at Teachers Building Society, and peers from other societies I’ve got to know share one trait: they genuinely want to do the absolute best for the members they serve. It’s what drives them every day.
I didn’t imagine the difference between working for shareholders and working for members would be so noticeable – there’s a different energy and different purpose, a liberation when it comes to decision making, not because profits don’t matter – they absolutely do, but here they are for the future generations of members and the desire to do more for those that chose us, and that penetrates every layer of what colleagues do.
Do smaller mutuals still have a place in financial services?
Absolutely. I’ve learned that smaller mutuals are doing some truly outstanding work, driving change for would be homeowners through product and service innovation.
I think it’s a part of the sector that will continue to use its size to its advantage, innovating without layers of bureaucracy whilst retaining things that matter most to members – like personal service.
Whether it’s helping a member open a savings account, supporting a first time buyer by ensuring they can deal with just one single mortgage adviser from first step to last or being able to quickly and easily get a broker on the phone with a BDM or underwriter there will always be a need for the ‘human touch’ and I think smaller mutuals continue to excel at this.
When buying a home still feels like a huge hurdle for first time buyers, what are you doing and what more can you do?
It’s vital that teachers, like other key workers can afford to own a home and live within the communities they work in – moving to a ‘cheaper’ place isn’t always a viable option. So this year we’ve made some product changes that will help: we launched lending at up to 7 times income for education professionals, who we understand and know really well, to try and help them leap over the affordability hurdle.
We also made some changes to our stress test. But for us, service is just as important as product. That’s why we offer, and will continue to offer, a really simple but effective service proposition: one adviser from the start to the end of the journey for our direct customers and a readily available BDM and underwriter available on the phone without a delay for our intermediary clients. By connecting, talking, knowing each other, we can find solutions.
What will the mutual sector need to do differently to stay relevant and impactful?
Mutuals who can evolve quickly, stay customer-focused, and collaborate across the value chain will be best positioned not just to stay relevant, but to lead the industry forward.
Digitisation offers huge potential for mutuals to streamline processes, improve customer experience and enhance operational efficiency. The challenge lies in adapting legacy systems and mindsets while embracing new technologies and data-driven decision-making – but those who do this can be really impactful.
There’s also growing demand for sustainable lending and inclusive financial solutions which if delivered will also mutuals stay relevant to new audiences.
What would you want brokers to know about Teachers Building Society’s plans for 2026?
Our strategic priorities for 2026 are about strengthening our core purpose – helping teachers and education professionals onto the property ladder. To do that we’re investing in digital transformation to improve customer experience and operational efficiency, while maintaining our personal, values-led approach.
We’ll keep evolving and expanding our mortgage offering, enhancing broker relationships, and deepening member engagement. Sustainability, regulatory readiness, and building resilience in a challenging economic environment are equally important to us.
Our plan for 2026 and beyond is to balance innovation with tradition, delivering long-term value for our members, supporting brokers and their clients and being recognised as a go-to provider in the communities we serve.
