The Yorkshire Building Society has appointed Neeta Atkar as a non-executive director and chair of its risk committee.

She replaces David Paige who retired at the Society’s AGM on 25 April.

Atkar (pictured) has almost 30 years’ experience in financial services, having held a series of senior positions at both banks and insurance companies, starting her career at the Bank of England and then moving to the newly formed financial services regulator.

She has worked across all aspects of risk throughout her career, covering credit, operational, financial crime and regulatory risks. Most recently, she was the chief risk officer at TSB and a member of the executive team that created and listed the bank on the Stock Exchange.

In addition, she has been a serving magistrate for 20 years, chairing for the last 16 years. She is currently a non-executive director at the British Business Bank and chair of its risk committee.

John Heaps, Yorkshire Building Society chairman, said: “An impressive and experienced risk specialist, Neeta’s sound judgment, pragmatic approach and problem-solving abilities make her an excellent choice to lead our group risk committee. These attributes, combined with her abilities in strategic planning and leadership skills, mean she is a very welcome addition to the board.”