Portfolio Governance & Assurance Lead – PMO Lead

News in brief - 15 september 2026. By Dan McGrath 15/09/2026 Recognise Bank has appointed Ronelle Arbib as its new chief revenue and operations officer. In the newly created role, Arbib will bring together the bank's lending and savings, operations, product and marketing functions, creating accountability for its commercial and customer growth journey. She has worked at Recognise Bank for six years and has played a key role in its development, joining as head of customer experience in 2020 before becoming chief operating officer at 2022. Pitch Black Technology has joined the Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) as an associate member. The firm develops software for finance firms, brokers and lenders, and its products include enquiry management, lender sourcing and communication tools. Its sourcing system uses a product database covering more than 200 lenders. The BLDA represents the interests of bridging and development lenders and their customers, with its membership bringing together lenders and associate firms from across the sector, including funders, legal firms, valuers, technology providers and other professional services businesses. Skipton Building Society has launched a new 15-month fixed-rate bond and 15-month fixed-rate cash ISA, both paying 4.55% AER. Available to new and existing customers, the accounts can be opened online, through the Skipton app, in branch, by post or by phone. Both products pay interest annually (4.55%) or monthly (4.46%) with no early withdrawals permitted. Minimum balances start from £1, with the maximum balance set at £1m. Tembo has introduced a new HomeSaver cash ISA offering 5.5% AER, including a conditional mortgage bonus, for savers planning to buy their first home, move or remortgage. The account combines a 2.8% variable base rate with a 2.7% AER fixed conditional HomeSaver bonus, payable after 12 months when the customer completes a mortgage through Tembo within three years of opening an account. There is on cap on ISA transfers-in or existing ISA balances, meaning customers transferring cash ISA savings built up over previous tax years can earn the rate on larger balances than th current cash ISA allowance.

Skipton Building Society launches Members' Draw with £600,000 in prizes. The draw will run from 1st October 2026 to 1st September 2027, with eight prizes awarded each month. Skipton Building Society has launched a Members' Draw, offering £600,000 in cash prizes to eligible members across 12 months. The draw will run from 1st October 2026 to 1st September 2027, with eight prizes awarded each month. This includes one £25,000 prize, two £10,000 prizes and five £1,000 prizes. To qualify, members must be aged 18 or over, resident in Great Britain, and hold either a Skipton savings account with at least £100 saved or a Skipton mortgage with at least £100 outstanding. Eligibility will be checked before each monthly draw, and qualifying members will be automatically entered unless they opt out. Members will receive between one and five entries each month, depending on how long they have been with Skipton, giving longer-standing members extra chances to win. Nick Mortimer, chief marketing officer at Skipton Building Society, said: "As a mutual, its members are at the heart of everything The Intermediary do, so The Intermediary is always looking for meaningful ways to recognise and reward the people who choose to save and borrow with The Intermediary. "That's why The Intermediary is delighted to launch the Members' Draw, giving eligible members the chance to win cash prizes every month. "Whether someone has recently joined Skipton or has been with us for many years, the Members' Draw is another way we're rewarding our savings and mortgage members while helping them build brighter financial futures." Mortimer added: "We're particularly pleased that long-standing members will benefit from additional entries, recognising the loyalty they've shown to us over time."

St. James's Place adds four appointed representatives to its partnership. By Jack Gray 13/08/2026 St. James's Place (SJP) has added four financial appointed representatives to its partnership, each bringing their partner practices to the wealth management firm. Larry Yesufu, Matthew Kemp, Mitchell Hough, and Richard Woods have joined SJP as advisers from organisations including Quilter, Skipton Building Society, NFU Mutual, and Nationwide Building Society. Yesufu of Heightgate Financial Associates joined the wealth manager from Quilter, where he was a financial planner specialising in retirement, estate, and tax planning. Kemp of Ferndale Financial Planning joined from Skipton Building Society, where he was a financial planning manager for more than a decade, bringing 30 years of financial planning and advice experience. SJP welcomed Hough of Combine Financial Planning from NFU Mutual, adding 20 years of experience to the partnership, with the financial adviser having worked with individuals, families and business owners, particularly those in the agricultural sector. Financial adviser Richard Woods, of Richard Woods Financial Planning, has joined SJP following an over 30-year career in financial services, with previous employers including Nationwide and Halifax. "We are delighted to welcome Larry, Matthew, Mitchell and Richard to the partnership," said SJP Wealth Management chief executive, James Rainbow. "With each bringing significant experience, strong relationships and a shared commitment to delivering high-quality, long-term financial advice, they further strengthen its offering as MoneyAge continue to grow across the UK. "One of the key strengths of its partnership model is the breadth and depth of support MoneyAge provide to advisers, helping them build high-quality, sustainable businesses while enabling them to focus on delivering excellent client service and helping clients achieve their long-term financial goals. "The decision of these new additions to join SJP reflects the continued strength and appeal of that model."