Ethical Bank expands senior team as it seeks to grow faster

Charity Bank, an ethical bank which uses its savers’ money to make loans solely to charities and social enterprises, makes two senior appointments as it seeks to accelerate its growth.

Peter Kelly (left in picture), who has been appointed as Business Development Director, joins Charity Bank as it seeks to broaden its reach across the UK as the bank for good. He has over 30 years’ experience in banking and community finance and in his previous role was Business Development and Marketing Director at Unity Trust Bank, where he worked with social enterprises, co-operatives, charities, housing associations and trade unions. He will be working alongside Banking Director Carolyn Sims and will report to Chief Executive Patrick Crawford.

Patrick says: “We are at an exciting stage in our development: as we said at our annual results announcement in May, we’re investing in increasing our staff numbers and in improving our capabilities to reach more and more charities and social enterprises at a time of difficulty for the sector.

“Peter shares our passion for putting money to work for the benefit of society and in our belief that banking should only work for good.  Charities have never been more needed, but also more challenged. We’re confident that his expertise in the social sector will be a great asset to our team of regional managers across the UK working with those helping to drive social change in their communities.”

Peter says: “I believe that the banking industry’s moral compass must be focused upon delivering high quality services that go right to the heart of our communities. Charity Bank was founded on this principle and supports charities with loans that they couldn’t find elsewhere. It is a bank run for social purpose organisations and owned by social purpose organisations.

“I want to promote financial inclusion and achieve social change through the provision of funding solutions for the social economy sector. At Charity Bank I can fully realise these ambitions, with the backing of a skilled team of staff who share them.”

Peter set up the first financial inclusion unit in the UK banking sector when at Barclays. He was actively involved there in supporting the launch and development of several community development finance institutions and was a director of the Aston Reinvestment Trust.

Previously Peter has worked with the Association of British Credit Unions and is a volunteer for the Credit Union Foundation. He is also an advisory board member for the University of Birmingham’s Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management.

Adam Ruffinato (right in picture), joins Charity Bank as a Senior Lending Manager. Adam has over 15 years’ banking experience and also comes from Unity Trust Bank, where he was Head of Social Economy responsible for looking after the banking and borrowing needs of organisations and businesses offering community, social or environmental benefit.

Adam says: “Charity Bank’s reputation as a force for good attracted me to the role. I understand the challenges of the social sector and I am looking forward to working closely with charities and social enterprises in order to provide them with the financial support they need to flourish.”

These latest additions to Charity Bank’s team follow the appointment of Danny Dickson last month as Director for Scotland.