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Chartered Banker Institute Welcomes Paul Denton as President
Paul Denton, CEO of the Scottish Building Society, has been elected president of The Chartered Banker Institute, the first time in the body’s almost 150-year history that a building society representative has held the role.
The Chartered Banker Institute is a global industry body based in Scotland that supports the development and advancement of banking skills, ethics and leadership.
The Chartered Banker Institute will turn 150 in 2025 and will be honoured to mark this milestone by hosting the World Banking Institutes Conference in Edinburgh, in what will be a year of celebration for the organisation and the city’s role in global finance.
The appointment of a representative from a mutual organisation to the top position is a significant moment and reflects the growing influence that building societies are currently having in the financial sector.
Denton began his career in financial services straight after school, joining the Royal Bank of Scotland at its Forfar branch. His initial ability was quickly recognized with a series of promotions that saw him become Head of Sales at RBS and later NatWest. His reputation for improving financial performance was well forged when he was hired by Co-op Bank, where he would go on to manage branch mortgages and portfolios of business, transforming the department during this time.
He joined the Scottish Building Society in 2019 as CEO and saw the organization almost double its balance sheet in just his first four years in the role.
Denton is hugely influential across the industry, including representing building societies and Scotland on the UK Finance Mortgage Board and representing building societies on the FCA Small Business Practitioner Panel.
Speaking after his appointment, Mr Denton said: “Having been a member of the Chartered Banker Institute for over 35 years, it is very special to have been elected President of this incredible institution.
“This is particularly important because I am the first CEO of a mutual to be elected to this position. As a proud advocate of partnership building throughout my career, this is an honor that is very meaningful to me.
“I am extremely proud to be a guardian of the Charter and a key focus for me is to re-establish the Chartered Banker status across the banking sector, particularly given the history and heritage of this institution.”
Dentons’ appointment follows his recent Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scottish Mortgage Summit for services to the sector.