Dudley Building Society has appointed Helen Smith as Chief Growth Officer, as part of its ongoing focus on growing the Society, strengthening customer outcomes, supporting its communities and developing its people.
Helen joined the Society in April and brings extensive board-level experience across financial services, insurance, healthcare and funeralcare.
She has held senior roles at organisations including Benenden Health and Co-op Funeralcare and Life Services, where she led large, cross-functional teams and delivered wide-ranging business transformation programmes.
In her new role, Helen will be responsible for shaping and delivering Dudley Building Society’s growth strategy across technology, customer and intermediary channels.
This will include overseeing brand and proposition development, improving how the Society attracts and supports customers, develops its technology strategy and ensures its lending and savings offering continues to reflect changing customer needs.
She will also play a key role in aligning commercial activity with the Society’s wider purpose, including its work to support local communities, improve environmental outcomes, and build a strong and inclusive workplace culture.
Helen’s appointment forms part of Dudley Building Society’s broader investment in its leadership team, as it continues to develop its proposition across specialist lending areas and enhance the experience it provides to intermediaries and customers.
Robert Oliver, Distribution Director at Dudley Building Society, said:
“Growth for us is not just about volume, it’s about how we deliver for the people who rely on us. That means improving the experience for our customers and intermediaries, supporting the communities we serve, and making sure we are acting responsibly in how we operate, including our approach to the environment.
“Helen brings a strong track record of leading change across complex organisations, but just as importantly, she understands how to connect commercial decisions with real outcomes for customers and colleagues. Her appointment strengthens our ability to move forward in a way that is considered, consistent and built around long-term value.”
Helen Smith, Chief Growth Officer at Dudley Building Society, added:
“Dudley Building Society has a clear sense of purpose and a strong connection to the communities it serves. What stands out is the way that purpose translates into day-to-day decisions, from how customers are supported through more complex cases, to how colleagues are empowered to make the right calls.
“There is a real opportunity to build on that by making sure our products, service and overall experience reflect what customers and intermediaries need in practice. My focus will be on bringing teams together to deliver that consistently, while supporting sustainable growth that works for both the Society and the people it serves.”
