Furness Building Society has appointed Simon Broadley as its new Chief Executive Officer and he brings over 25 years of financial experience to the leadership of the 160-year-old building society.

Simon’s new role as CEO will see him promoted from the position of Chief Commercial Officer, to which he was appointed in 2022 with a remit to oversee and manage the society’s commercial operations.

As CEO, Simon will lead the member-owned Furness Building Society as it continues to provide solution-based mortgages and apply its human approach to assessing affordability. This sees real people assess every applicant’s unique circumstances which makes the process of granting a mortgage a far more considered decision. 

Simon brings over two decades of experience in the financial services sector, predominantly in the mutual sector. He has held senior leadership roles with Yorkshire Building Society and Tenet & You, and was a non executive director for Leeds City Credit Union where he provided strategic leadership and guidance.

Simon takes the mantle from former CEO, Chris Harrison, who successfully led the society for over eight years, having joined from insurance giant, Assurant Europe. Chris leaves the role to take retirement, bringing to fruition a long and successful career in financial services.

Simon commented: “I’m very proud to take the position of CEO at Furness Building Society, having been part of the leadership team for nearly three years. During this time we’ve continued to evolve as a building society that always puts people first, which is reflected in our approach to mortgage underwriting and means we’ve helped countless people secure mortgages when other lenders were unable to do so. Working with Chris Harrison has been the best grounding to succeed him as CEO, and I wish him well in his retirement.”

Chris Harrison, former CEO of Furness Building Society, added: “It’s been a privilege to guide Furness for the past eight years and be part of a team of incredibly talented people who have transformed the organisation into a modern-day building society for the future. I’m personally delighted that Simon will drive the next phase of development. He will be an excellent leader for our people and will ensure a positive outlook for our members and communities.”