Virgin Money appoints former TSB CFO as non-executive

VIRGIN MONEY has appointed former TSB chief financial officer Darren Pope as a non-executive director with responsibility for audit, risk, remuneration and nominations.

Pope, who announced his intention to leave TSB in January this year, has more than 30 years’ experience in retail banking and financial services. He was instrumental in the redesign of TSB following its carve-out from Lloyds Banking Group.

The former CFO was the original programme director in charge of divesting TSB as a new retail bank, and also led the finances on the bank’s IPO in 2014, its sale to Banco Sabadell in 2015 and the acquisition of the former Northern Rock mortgage portfolio from Cerberus in November 2015.

Prior to joining TSB, the chartered accountant held a range of executive and senior roles within the Lloyds Banking Group, including retail bank commercial director. He also served as FD of Lloyds Banking Group’s mortgages business.

Pope, who will join the Virgin board early next year, is currently a non-executive director at Equiniti Group.

Virgin Money has also appointed Eva Eisenschimmel as non-executives. Eisenschimmel has 30 years’ experience as a brand and marketing professional and is also a non-executive at Water Plus Limited, a joint venture between Severn Trent and United Utilities.

Eisenschimmel previously worked at Lloyds Banking Group, where she was MD of marketing brands and culture and MD of retail brands, digital and telephone banking. She was responsible for repositioning the Halifax brand, spinning out the TSB brand and relaunching Lloyds Bank, among other achievements.

Pope will become chairman of the audit committee subject to regulatory approval in 2017 to allow for a transition of the chairmanship from Norman McLuskie.