Our Board members have a broad range of experience and knowledge to ensure they make good business decisions and represent or members best interests. Each members appointment has been reviewed and approved by our regulators, the Prudential Regulation Authority.
They all share a passion for the Society, our community and climate commitments and our ethos that members and staff should always come first.
Find out more about our Board of Directors, their roles and relevant experience in the section below this important message from Elizabeth Woolman our Senior Independent Director
As Senior Independent Director, it is my privilege to act as an independent person who members, staff, other Directors or third parties can turn to for guidance and support. In my role, I am here to listen to any feedback or concerns about the way we do things here at Gravesham Friendly and act as an additional point of contact if you feel our normal channels of communication haven’t worked for you.
It is my duty to ensure that the Board continues to always act in the best interests of members and in a way which upholds our values. In particular, I am responsible for appraising our Board Chair’s performance, getting input from other Directors, our staff and members and providing honest, constructive feedback.
If you would like to get in touch with me to share your thoughts, please send an email to yourvoice@graveshamfriendly.co.uk.
Chairman
Kim has been associated with the mutual sector for many years, firstly through the Woolwich Building Society where he started as a cashier and progressed to senior management and also at Shepherds Friendly Society where he held both non-executive and executive positions. At Shepherds, Kim acted as an adviser to the board of a start-up digital mortgage broker taking it through to significant venture capital investment.
With a strong social conscience, Kim is passionate about the need to combine ethics with profitability in business. He has personally developed a highly successful recruitment company, a sustainable hill farm in the Yorkshire Dales and a “glamping” venture with a strong focus on the environment
Outside of work Kim is an open boat canoeing instructor for the Scout Association and an expedition assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Scheme. He has led youth groups on a number of expeditions including two crossings of the High Atlas Mountains.
Kim has won awards for sustainable land management and wildlife habitat creation; he holds the Freedom of the City of London and is a member of MENSA the high IQ Society.
Deputy Chair and Senior Independent Director
Liz is a Non–Executive Director for Local Pensions Partnership Administration who provide pensions administration services for 600,000 members of Local Government Pensions Schemes Companies and is an Executive Coach and Founder at Reconnect Business Coaching.
She volunteers as Chair of Governors for a Kent Primary School and is a Trustee for a local Christian Charity.
Liz has over 20 years’ experience in FTSE 100 organisations in the Financial Services & Global Technology Sector, where she held Senior Executive positions in a wide range of functions including Human Resources, Sales, Marketing, Strategy and Commercial Product Management.
Liz has a degree in Management Studies and an MBA, she is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has spent significant periods in her career living and working overseas.
Chief Executive Officer
Paul joined the Society in November 2020 to take over as Chief Executive.
Paul has a 26 years affiliation with the friendly Society and mutual sector. He recently spent 13 years at Foresters Friendly Society, with 6 years as their Finance Director and 7 years as their Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that he was Head of Finance and Investment at Teachers Provident Society. Paul also sat on the Association of Financial Mutuals Board for 3 years, the trade body for the mutual sector.
He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys walking in the New Forest and on the golf course where he regularly walks much longer distances than the course yardage.
Chair of Audit and Risk
Martin is a Chartered Account with over 30 years’ experience in the friendly society movement having started as an Accountant with Holloway Friendly Society before progressing to Finance Director and then Chief Executive. In recent years Martin has worked as a consultant to a number of other friendly societies.
In addition to his position as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee at Gravesham Friendly, Martin is a member of the With-Profits Committee at Healthy Investment, a trustee of Gloucester Charities Trust and Chairman and Director of the Community Library in Painswick.
When not working, Martin enjoys travel and combines this with his hobby of photography. In addition, Martin also likes nothing more than a run in his beloved Morgan sports car when the weather permits.
Non-Executive Director
Gez is a qualified solicitor who has been in practise for more than 20 years. Gez is currently an associate solicitor at a large regional practise in Essex where he specialises in employment law and dispute resolution with a particular emphasis on commercial and residential property litigation.
Gez has been a non-executive director at Gravesham Friendly since 2018. Gez also serves on the investment committee where his long professional experience in residential property is particularly relevant to the management of the Society’s core assets. Gez is himself a member of the Society as is his wife. As a member NED, Gez is well-placed to represent members’ interests at board level.
Outside of work, Gez’s interests are golf, skiing, fitness and cooking.
Chair of Investment Committee
Justine is a financial services professional with more than 25 years’ experience working in the Insurance industry including both executive and non-executive roles.
Justine qualified as an actuary in 2000 and has had the opportunity to work in a broad range of actuarial areas from financial reporting through to product development. She maintains her Actuarial knowledge as a Fellow of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries where she also is a volunteer. Her last executive position was as Finance and Risk Director for a small Friendly Society where she was also a member of the Risk and the With-profits Committees.
She is also a non-executive director at a general insurance company, owned by one of the UK’s largest charities, where she chairs both the Audit and the Risk committees.
Outside of work Justine enjoys walks out in the country. She loves all types of music and in particular adores to hear her two sons play their own songs on the guitar. Justine also spends time making jewellery.
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