Nottingham Building Society has appointed Russ Thornton (pictured) as its chief technology officer (CTO).
He takes over from Paul Howley, who took on the newly created role around three years ago and departs in July.
Thornton has been working with the mutual since March 2025 as a strategic adviser in an interim capacity from Shawbrook Bank.
He was the CTO at Shawbrook Bank for around six years, and before that, he was the CTO at WorldRemit for nearly two years.
Prior to that, he was the interim chief digital officer at Aegon for nearly a year and has also held senior roles at Legal & General (L&G), Cofunds and McKinney Rogers.
Nottingham Building Society has also confirmed that Aaron Shinwell will start his new role as chief lending officer in August.
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Sue Hayes, CEO of Nottingham Building Society, said: “Russ brings deep expertise and a proven track record of delivering digital transformation at pace and scale. Since joining us earlier this year, he’s had a great impact, and I know he will continue to do so as he leads our transformation programme.
“He has successfully delivered complex transformation[s] across banks, fintechs, and global financial services institutions, including most recently at Shawbrook, where his work played a key role in more than doubling the bank’s loan book and deposits while radically improving digital experiences for customers and brokers alike.
“This is a pivotal moment for the society… as we prepare to launch new technology that will transform the mortgage experience for brokers, borrowers, and colleagues alike. Russ shares our values, our purpose, and our belief in building a modern mutual that serves real lives.
“With over three decades of experience, Russ has led enterprise-wide technology strategies, built and scaled high-performing engineering and product teams, and driven operational excellence through innovation. He brings not only technical depth, but also the leadership and cultural insight needed to embed lasting change that puts the customer first.”
Sue added: “We pass our thanks on to Paul Howley for everything he has done during his time with us. Paul’s legacy is not only the systems and structures he helped deliver, but the culture he helped shape.”
Thornton added: “I’m extremely excited to join the society at such a transformative point to continue to deliver on its purpose and promise to its members and communities. That sense of purpose and its ambition to serve members who don’t fit the traditional mould was really attractive to be part of.
“Under Paul’s guidance, the team has made fantastic progress modernising its mortgage and savings platforms, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum. My focus will be on ensuring we have the right capabilities, controls and culture in place to grow with confidence and deliver great outcomes for our members and broker partners.”
