"There’s clearly an appetite both to build in their core offering and to find new and alternative ways to grow and differentiate themselves."
- Ben Pears, incoming CEO of Holloway Friendly
Prior to this appointment, Ben Pears served as Insurance Director at Unity Mutual UK after receiving a promotion from Director of Sales & Marketing. He’s also worked as a Non-Executive Director (NED) for the Association of Financial Mutuals, CEO of Kingston Unity Friendly Society, and CEO of Synergy Financial Products Limited.
Over the last twenty-seven years in Financial Services, Ben has worked in analysis, strategy, communications, financial advice, consultancy, and directorship, working at Aviva, Coutts, Clydesdale Bank, and Barclays.
“It’s a great time to join Holloway Friendly. It’s been through a transformation journey of growth and modernisation, including distribution, systems, proposition, and brand. I’m very much looking forward to leading the team on the next stage of the journey and delivering their five-year growth strategy,” he said.
He believes there’s a “real focus on service, value for their members, and helping distributors get more clients protected – as you’d expect from a mutual. But there’s clearly an appetite both to build in their core offering and to find new and alternative ways to grow and differentiate themselves too.”
Derek Wright, Chair & interim CEO of Holloway Friendly, said he’s “delighted to welcome Ben […] He brings a wealth of diverse experience from the mutual sector and beyond, together with a real energy and a desire to make a difference.
“The business today is unrecognisable from the Holloway Friendly of 2016 when we began our transformation journey. We look forward to Ben’s leadership as we begin the next chapter of our strategy,” he concluded.
