Darlington Building Society has appointed experienced executive leader Michael Conville as Chief Customer Officer.
Michael joins Darlington, which is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year, from Newcastle Building Society, where he held senior roles as both Head of Mortgage Operations and interim Chief Customer Officer.
Michael said he is delighted to be joining Darlington Building Society, admiring both its reputation for putting members first and its total commitment to the communities it serves.
“Darlington Building Society has such a well-earned reputation for delivering tangible value to its members through great products, outstanding personalised service, and supporting the local community, so I’m hugely excited to become part of it,” he said.
“Throughout my career I’ve always been passionate about delivering exceptional service to customers whether that’s through growing their savings or getting them on that first step to owning a home, and I want to bring that expertise and knowledge to Darlington Building Society.
“Community engagement is also particularly important to me, and I love the positive impact the Society has through its annual pledge to donate 5% of its profits to good causes, along with a solid commitment to volunteering and financial education.”
Michael added that his priority was to build stronger relationships with local communities, businesses, and charities.
“I want to spend as much time as possible listening to our members, so I can find out what matters to them and how we can improve our services whether through our branches or our digital services. If we want to continue to be successful, the foundation is understanding our customers,” he added.
He will also focus on engagement with mortgage brokers across the UK to ensure the right products and services are in place to help more people achieve their dreams of home ownership.
“Mortgage brokers play such a crucial role in advising their clients whether they are a first time, next time or final time borrower and it’s vitally important that Darlington works in close partnership with the intermediary community to create more opportunities for sustainable home ownership”
Darlington Building Society Chief Executive, Andrew Craddock, said:
“Michael brings a wealth of experience and is a great fit for Darlington Building Society because of his passion for the mutual sector, his determination to do the best for members, and his commitment to community engagement. We are thrilled to have him as part of the team.”
