Coventry Building Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Sir Geoffrey Whalen as its new Chairman.

Sir Geoffrey Whalen has been a non-executive Director of the Society since 1992 and succeeds Mr Barry Gillitt, who remains on the Board following completion of his three year term as Chairman.

Sir Geoffrey’s career has been mainly in the motor industry, where he was Managing Director of Peugeot in the UK and President of the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders. He is currently a non-executive Director of a number of companies including Caradon, hall Engineering, Camden Motors, Peugeot and Federal Mogul. He served as a Governor and Deputy chairman of Coventry University between 1989 and 1995 and was also Chairman of Coventry and Warwickshire Training and Enterprise Council. He was knighted in 1995. Sir Geoffrey, who is 63, lives in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Commenting upon his appointment, Sir Geoffrey said:

"I am both pleased and honoured to have been appointed Chairman of Coventry Building Society.

"My involvement with the Coventry has impressed upon me the important role which building societies have to play in the financial services sector, both now and in the future. At the Coventry, we have used the significant competitive advantage which we have over our banking competitors to achieve impressive business success and deliver tangible benefits to our members. I look forward to working with my colleagues to build upon these achievements, to bring the ongoing benefits of building society membership to more and more people."

Mr David Harding, who is Finance Director of The Rugby Group PLC and has been a director of the Society since 1996, has been appointed Deputy Chairman.