Mark joins the Middlesbrough-based bank after spending over 40 years in the UK banking sector.
He replaces former GB Bank Chair, Mike Kirsopp, who has stepped away from the business to return to an executive career.
For 23 years, Mark operated as CEO at three fast growing UK banks, including HTB, where he led a private equity backed management buyout, restructured and scaled the business profitably, enabling it to raise growth capital of £100m.
Prior to that, Mark served as CEO at Sun Bank and then Heritable Bank where he executed diversification strategies in the specialist lending arena, secured Tier 1 and 2 capital, grew balance sheets to £1.3bn and generated pre-tax profits of £17m and £21m respectively.
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Speaking about his appointment, Mark said: “I’m delighted to be joining GB Bank at such an exciting time for the business and I’m really looking forward to using my experience in specialist banking to help take GB Bank forward.
“There are lots of exciting opportunities in the market which we are looking to tap into as GB Bank matures and develops beyond its highly successful launch phase into an ambitious growth stage.”
Stephen Lancaster, co-founder and CEO at GB Bank, added: “We are thrilled to have secured Mark’s services as chair of GB Bank.
“His vast experience and expertise are fundamental for the business as we look to progress to the next stage of our development.
“We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Mike Kirsopp as he leaves us — Mike has been a valued and integral member of the team for almost three years, helping GB Bank in securing the full banking licence in August 2022, and the ongoing development of the business since then.
“We are incredibly grateful for Mike’s commitment to GB Bank and he leaves with our very best wishes as we welcome Mark as our new chair.”
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