Key appointments to Post Office Ltd/Bank of Ireland Group financial services joint venture

Post Office Ltd and the Bank of Ireland Group today announced the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer and Board Directors for the joint venture that will launch Post Office® branded financial services products through the Post Office branch network, by telephone and the website.

The Chief Executive Officer will be Patrick Waldron, currently the Director of Retail Strategy and Change at the Bank of Ireland. He has filled a number of senior retail banking roles, including Director of Sales and Marketing and Head of Direct Banking, in which he had responsibility for the Group’s market-leading telephone and internet banking services in Ireland. Patrick will take up the position of CEO with immediate effect and will also join the board of the joint venture.

The non-executive directors on the board will be:
· Chairman, David Mills, Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd
· Alan Barrie, IT Director, Post Office Ltd
· Cyril Dunne, Chief Information Officer, Bank of Ireland Group
· Graham Halliday, Banking & Financial Services Director, Post Office Ltd
· Roy Keenan, Chief Executive, UK Financial Services, Bank of Ireland Group

Jonathan Evans, Company Secretary for Royal Mail Holdings will become Company Secretary to the joint venture in addition to his current responsibilities.

“These appointments for the joint venture represent a key step towards the launch of a range of financial services products from the Post Office®,” said David Mills, Chief Executive, Post Office Ltd. “Our customers have told us that they want products that offer a combination of trust, simplicity, reliability, convenience and security – which the Post Office is well-placed to provide working with the Bank of Ireland Group.”