Steven Cooper - CEO of Aldermore Group

Previously, Steven has been CEO at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest privately-owned bank, for two years where he has developed and led an extensive programme of change.  Prior to this, he spent 30 years at Barclays, starting as a branch cashier and working his way up to lead several of their major businesses, including Barclaycard Business Solutions, Personal Banking for UK & Europe, and Business Banking in the UK. He has extensive hands-on experience, from the front line to top management, in retail and business banking, payments, digital, data and technology.

Most of his career has been in UK Banking, but he has had significant experience across Europe and the US and also spent four years working and living across Africa and India. 

Steven sits on several advisory boards, is the Joint Chair of the Social Mobility Commission (a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office) promoting and monitoring progress towards improving social mobility in the UK.

He is also Chairman of Experian UK and a Non-Executive Director of the global recruitment company Robert Walters PLC.

Previously, Steven has been CEO at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest privately-owned bank, for two years where he has developed and led an extensive programme of change.  Prior to this, he spent 30 years at Barclays, starting as a branch cashier and working his way up to lead several of their major businesses, including Barclaycard Business Solutions, Personal Banking for UK & Europe, and Business Banking in the UK. He has extensive hands-on experience, from the front line to top management, in retail and business banking, payments, digital, data and technology.

Most of his career has been in UK Banking, but he has had significant experience across Europe and the US and also spent four years working and living across Africa and India. 

Steven sits on several advisory boards, is the Joint Chair of the Social Mobility Commission (a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office) promoting and monitoring progress towards improving social mobility in the UK.

He is also Chairman of Experian UK and a Non-Executive Director of the global recruitment company Robert Walters PLC.

Steven Cooper, CEO of Aldermore Group

Ralph Coates

Chief Financial Officer

Ralph was most recently CFO of TSB for five years and was pivotal in driving its transformation and growth strategy. Prior to joining TSB, he was Finance Director at the Bank of England, from 2013 to 2016, after nine years at Barclays, latterly as the Finance Director of Barclays’ UK Retail & Business Bank. 

Ralph qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC in South Africa before joining the firm in London in the Transaction Services division. 

Chief Financial Officer

Ralph was most recently CFO of TSB for five years and was pivotal in driving its transformation and growth strategy. Prior to joining TSB, he was Finance Director at the Bank of England, from 2013 to 2016, after nine years at Barclays, latterly as the Finance Director of Barclays’ UK Retail & Business Bank. 

Ralph qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC in South Africa before joining the firm in London in the Transaction Services division. 

Ralph Coates, Chief Financial Officer

Danielle Soto

Group Managing Director - Savings and Commercial Shared Services

Danielle joined from Barclays Bank where she spent 20 years building extensive knowledge and experience in Financial Services. In her most recent role as Managing Director for Mortgage and Premier Distribution, Danielle led the integration and transformation of the business, delivering a far superior customer and colleague proposition. 

Previous to this, she held a broad range of roles across the organisation, including responsibility for commercial delivery and strategic change. In addition, she played an active role driving the diversity and inclusion agenda and in particular, female talent and development.

Group Managing Director - Savings and Commercial Shared Services

Danielle joined from Barclays Bank where she spent 20 years building extensive knowledge and experience in Financial Services. In her most recent role as Managing Director for Mortgage and Premier Distribution, Danielle led the integration and transformation of the business, delivering a far superior customer and colleague proposition. 

Previous to this, she held a broad range of roles across the organisation, including responsibility for commercial delivery and strategic change. In addition, she played an active role driving the diversity and inclusion agenda and in particular, female talent and development.

Danielle Soto, Group Managing Director - Savings and Commercial Shared Services

Ross Dalzell

Managing Director - Property

Ross joined Aldermore in October 2022 from Barclays where he was Managing Director for Business Banking Relationships. Ross has over 15 years of financial services experience covering a wide of range products, channels and customer segments.

He has a strong background in all elements of product management and distribution and experience in delivering large-scale digital transformation and growth.

Managing Director - Property

Ross joined Aldermore in October 2022 from Barclays where he was Managing Director for Business Banking Relationships. Ross has over 15 years of financial services experience covering a wide of range products, channels and customer segments.

He has a strong background in all elements of product management and distribution and experience in delivering large-scale digital transformation and growth.

Ross Dalzell, Managing Director - Property

Tim Boag

Group Managing Director - Business Finance

Tim has had an extensive career including a number of roles throughout Corporate and Commercial Banking, Finance and Risk within RBS/NatWest.  He has led coverage and financing businesses, delivering to customers across a wide range of industry sectors. 

Tim was previously on the management Board of RBS’s Asset Finance Division and a director of the Business Growth Fund, a company set up to make equity investments in SMEs. He has also been a member of the CBI London Council and Chartered Banker Professional Standards Board.

Group Managing Director - Business Finance

Tim has had an extensive career including a number of roles throughout Corporate and Commercial Banking, Finance and Risk within RBS/NatWest.  He has led coverage and financing businesses, delivering to customers across a wide range of industry sectors. 

Tim was previously on the management Board of RBS’s Asset Finance Division and a director of the Business Growth Fund, a company set up to make equity investments in SMEs. He has also been a member of the CBI London Council and Chartered Banker Professional Standards Board.

Tim Boag, Group Managing Director - Business Finance

Richard Jones

Managing Director - MotoNovo Finance

Richard joined from Lloyds Banking Group in February 2023 where he was CEO of its motor finance and leasing business, which encompassed Black Horse and Lex Autolease brands and online car finance. Richard joined Lloyds Banking Group as part of their graduate finance programme and held a range of senior roles across the Group. 

From 2016 to 2021 Richard was also chairman of the Finance & Leasing Association and still sits on the FLA Board. He graduated in Business Studies from Sheffield Business School and is a chartered management accountant. He also completed the Harvard Business School Executive programme in 2021.

Managing Director - MotoNovo Finance

Richard joined from Lloyds Banking Group in February 2023 where he was CEO of its motor finance and leasing business, which encompassed Black Horse and Lex Autolease brands and online car finance. Richard joined Lloyds Banking Group as part of their graduate finance programme and held a range of senior roles across the Group. 

From 2016 to 2021 Richard was also chairman of the Finance & Leasing Association and still sits on the FLA Board. He graduated in Business Studies from Sheffield Business School and is a chartered management accountant. He also completed the Harvard Business School Executive programme in 2021.

Richard Jones, Managing Director MotoNovo Finance

Paula Walter

Chief Technology and Information Officer

Paula joined Aldermore in 2022 as Chief Technology and Information Officer with over 20 years' experience working in technology within Financial Services firms. Prior roles include Chief Operating Officer at Ruffer LLP and Chief Technology Officer at Newton Investment Management. 

She began her career in the technology division of Goldman Sachs, supporting the equities and investment management divisions. An alumna of the Universities of Cape Town and Oxford, she holds honours degrees in mathematics and linguistics and a DPhil in linguistics.

Chief Technology and Information Officer

Paula joined Aldermore in 2022 as Chief Technology and Information Officer with over 20 years' experience working in technology within Financial Services firms. Prior roles include Chief Operating Officer at Ruffer LLP and Chief Technology Officer at Newton Investment Management. 

She began her career in the technology division of Goldman Sachs, supporting the equities and investment management divisions. An alumna of the Universities of Cape Town and Oxford, she holds honours degrees in mathematics and linguistics and a DPhil in linguistics.

Paula Walter, Chief Technology and Information Officer

Nick Ulycz

Group People Officer

Before joining Aldermore in 2022, Nick was most recently the Chief Operating Officer at Domestic & General (D&G), with responsibility for leading Operations, HR and Communications. He joined D&G in December 2016 as Group HR Director, taking on wider responsibility for Operations in August 2018. Prior to joining the business, he spent eight years at HSBC, most latterly in the role of Head of HR for HSBC, UK.

Nick is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds a BA (Hons) degree in Personnel Management from the University of Greenwich.

Group People Officer

Before joining Aldermore in 2022, Nick was most recently the Chief Operating Officer at Domestic & General (D&G), with responsibility for leading Operations, HR and Communications. He joined D&G in December 2016 as Group HR Director, taking on wider responsibility for Operations in August 2018. Prior to joining the business, he spent eight years at HSBC, most latterly in the role of Head of HR for HSBC, UK.

Nick is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds a BA (Hons) degree in Personnel Management from the University of Greenwich.

Nick Ulycz, Group Chief People Officer

Ben Taylor

Chief Customer Experience Officer

Ben joined us from Virgin Money where he was the Group Operations Director.  With over 20 years of experience in operations, consumer operations, and leading change projects, he is highly skilled at building centres of excellence focusing on customer experience and building relationships.  

Chief Customer Experience Officer

Ben joined us from Virgin Money where he was the Group Operations Director.  With over 20 years of experience in operations, consumer operations, and leading change projects, he is highly skilled at building centres of excellence focusing on customer experience and building relationships.  

Ben Taylor, Chief Customer Experience Officer

Reg Dhanjal

General Counsel

Reg joined Aldermore in 2022 from WorldFirst, where he was Group General Counsel & Compliance Officer and the EMEA Legal, Compliance, AML and Privacy Head for Ant Group, WorldFirst's parent company. 

Prior to WorldFirst he was a partner at the law firm Pinsent Masons. He has over 25 years' experience advising on corporate, commercial, compliance and regulatory matters. Reg is admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and holds an MA (Cantab) in Law from the University of Cambridge.

General Counsel

Reg joined Aldermore in 2022 from WorldFirst, where he was Group General Counsel & Compliance Officer and the EMEA Legal, Compliance, AML and Privacy Head for Ant Group, WorldFirst's parent company. 

Prior to WorldFirst he was a partner at the law firm Pinsent Masons. He has over 25 years' experience advising on corporate, commercial, compliance and regulatory matters. Reg is admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and holds an MA (Cantab) in Law from the University of Cambridge.

Reg Dhanjal, General Counsel