Experienced Businessman To Bolster Scarborough Building Society Board

Press release published on 18 January 2008 by Scarborough Building Society

A successful businessman with a strong track record in senior management roles with major international companies has joined Scarborough Building Society’s Board.

John Parker, who has contributed to the success of consumer goods companies in a variety of industries – from manufacturing to travel and healthcare – became a Non-Executive Director for the Society on 15 January.

Originally from Liverpool, the 59-year-old has lived in North Yorkshire with his family for nearly 20 years.

Retiring from full-time management at the end of 2006, he has since become Non-Executive Chairman of a social healthcare business which provides foster care for very disadvantaged children, and an Advisor to a major global private equity investment firm, Texas Pacific Group.

Previously, John worked in the healthcare industry, where he was President of the European division for the $78bn US company Cardinal Health Inc., a provider of healthcare products and services, from 2003 to 2006.

Prior to that, he was Chief Executive of The Intercare Group – a fully quoted UK public company manufacturing and supplying pharmaceuticals and services to international healthcare providers – from 1995 to 2003.

Previous roles have included Chief Executive of the Barr and Wallace Arnold Trust PLC, the travel and car distribution group, based in Leeds; Chairman and Chief Executive of Kosset and Crossley Carpets, based in Bradford, and Managing Director, UK, for automotive chemical and consumer good manufacturer Holt Lloyd International PLC, based in Cheshire.

With almost 40 years spent in such a wide range of key management roles, John will bring valuable experience of diverse business sectors to his new role at Scarborough Building Society.

And his particular experience of strategically planning and managing the profitable expansion and development of many of the companies he has worked for will be of great benefit to the forward-thinking and rapidly growing Scarborough Group.

Welcoming the appointment, Scarborough Chairman William Worsely added: ‘We are very proud of the strength of the Scarborough Board, and the high calibre of its individual members.

‘I am therefore delighted to welcome John to join this successful team, with his extensive experience of successful business management.

‘I am sure that the capabilities he brings will add to the quality of discussion, ideas and strategy needed to continue moving our rapidly evolving business forward.’

Chief Executive, John Carrier, added: ‘The Scarborough Group is experiencing a period of extensive growth and development and it is vital that we attract people of this calibre as Non-Executive Directors, to provide us with an ongoing independent view to support our continued success.’

Commenting on his new appointment, John Parker said: ‘As my career history demonstrates, I’ve been privileged to spend time at the helm of several, very different companies, of various sizes. I relish opportunities such as my new role with the Scarborough Group to put the experience I have gained over the years to good use.

‘I was attracted to the Scarborough role in particular due to the Group’s reputation as a dynamic, diverse and rapidly developing organisation, and its strong values and culture as a mutual organisation.

‘I am looking forward to contributing ideas and advice to help support and guide the ongoing delivery of Scarborough’s business strategy.’

---