Loading…

Building Societies Association appoints two new deputy chairs

Susan Allen, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society, and Caroline Domanski, Chief Executive of No1 CopperPot Credit Union, have taken on the roles, working alongside the BSA Chair, Simon Taylor, Chief Executive Sarah Harrison, and the wider BSA Council.

Back to PressReleases Event
The Building Societies Association (BSA) has, for the first time in its history, appointed two Deputy Chairs. Susan Allen, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society, and Caroline Domanski, Chief Executive of No1 CopperPot Credit Union, have taken on the roles, working alongside the BSA Chair, Simon Taylor, Chief Executive Sarah Harrison, and the wider BSA Council.

The decision to appoint two Deputy Chair reflects the growing scale and influence of the mutual sector and the increasing ambition of the BSA at a time of significant change.

Commenting on the appointments, Simon Taylor said:

“I’m delighted that Susan and Caroline have accepted the roles of Deputy Chair and I’m very much looking forward to working with them. Both bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and leadership skills that will be invaluable in these roles.

“The government’s ambition to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector gives us a strong mandate to be at the forefront of change, delivering practical, innovative solutions to housing, savings and financial resilience. To make the most of this opportunity we need strong visibility, open dialogue and close collaboration with government, regulators and policymakers.

“With Susan and Caroline as Deputy Chairs we bring greater capacity, a broader range of skills and experience and stronger representation of our credit union members. This enhanced leadership structure will support the BSA in championing mutuals as a vital part of the UK’s financial services sector, now and into the future.”

Susan Allen said:

“This is an exciting time for the mutual sector with many opportunities ahead, alongside some real challenges. As we navigate through these changing times, there’s an increasing awareness of the importance of member-owned organisations with their clear social purpose, strong community connections, and unwavering commitment to serving their members’ needs rather than external shareholders.”

Caroline Domanski said:

“We know the difference mutuals bring to their members and communities. Our member-owner structure means we can reinvest our surplus into better returns for members, a diverse range of products and keeping local branches open, rather than being hived off to external shareholders. It is great to see building societies and credit unions working together to double the sector as we support fair and inclusive growth across the UK.”

[ENDS]

Press contacts:

press.office@bsa.org.uk
Tanya Jackson, tanya.jackson@bsa.org.uk  Tel: 07881 501098
Katie Wise, katie.wise@bsa.org.uk  Tel: 020 7520 5904
Debbie Enever, debbie.enever@bsa.org.uk Tel: 020 7520 5926

Notes to Editors:

Susan Allen OBE - CEO, Yorkshire Building Society and BSA Deputy Chair

Susan has worked in the Financial Services industry for over 30 years and has extensive experience across Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Global Banking, Operations and strategic roles with a specific focus on transformation and business leadership.

Susan joined Yorkshire Building Society as CEO in March 2023 from Barclays where she was Head of Customer Transformation and a member of the Barclays UK Executive Committee.

Susan was previously the CEO of Retail & Business Banking at Santander UK and an Executive Director. Prior to joining Santander UK, Susan held a number of significant roles at RBS.

Throughout her career, Susan has been a champion of diversity and inclusion, being recognised by the British LGBT+ Award in 2020 for her corporate allyship with Santander’s LGBT network. Susan is on the Board of Trustees for the Alzheimer’s Society, contributing to the Society’s strategic direction and activities. Susan is also a non-executive director at TheCityUK and sits on the Council of the Building Societies Association as Deputy Chair.

Caroline Domanski MBE - CEO, No1 CopperPot Credit Union and BSA Deputy Chair

Caroline has spent more than 20 years working within credit unions, developing deep expertise in governance, strategy, and the role mutuals play in building fair, resilient financial systems. She currently serves as Chief Executive of No1 CopperPot Credit, working alongside the Board to ensure the organisation remains forward-thinking, innovative, and firmly centred on the needs of its members.

Caroline is the first credit union representative to be appointed to the Building Societies Association Council, where she brings the perspective of the wider international mutual movement into strategic sector discussions. From January 2026, she will serve as Joint Deputy Chair of the BSA.

Alongside her executive leadership, Caroline regularly represents credit unions across the financial services landscape engaging with policymakers, regulators and sector bodies to ensure credit unions are recognised as a sustainable and essential part of the UK financial system. She has contributed evidence to parliamentary groups, participates in PRA and FCA sector roundtables, and sits on the PRA Practitioner Panel.

Caroline holds an undergraduate degree in Financial Services and the BSA’s Masters in Leadership, she is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders in the mutual sector. Her contribution has been recognised nationally and internationally, including receiving the UK National Young Leader of the Year Award, an international scholarship from the World Council of Credit Union’s, and by being awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Year Honours.
 

The Building Societies Association (BSA)

The BSA represents all 42 UK building societies, including both mutual-owned banks, as well as 7 of the largest credit unions. Building societies and mutual-owned banks have total assets of almost £677 billion and together with their subsidiaries, hold residential mortgages of £493.4 billion, 29% of the total outstanding in the UK. They also hold £495.6 billion of retail deposits, accounting for 23% of all such deposits in the UK. Building societies and mutual-owned banks account for 47% of all cash ISA balances.

With all of their headquarters outside London, building societies employ around 52,300 full and part-time staff. In addition to digital services, they operate through approximately 1,300 branches, holding a 35% share of branches across the UK.