Together hires new COO as Topliss joins corporate team

Specialist lender Together has appointed John Barker as the Group’s new chief operating officer while Richard Topliss joins as a consultant in its corporate team.

In his new role as Group COO, John will take responsibility for operations across the business. John has a wealth of experience in financial services, in particular, leading operations, IT and change, and will take charge of Together’s modernisation and transformation programmes.

John started his career with Co-op Insurance more than 17 years ago. He later joined Capita, where he worked for more than a decade, becoming a managing director within the group in 2019. He then joined the business transformation provider Target Group as group COO before he was promoted to CEO.

In addition, Richard Topliss, an industry leader with more than four decades of banking experience, has joined Together to advise its corporate team.

Richard was the former managing director of corporate banking in the North for NatWest. He began his career with NatWest in Bristol 45 years ago and has since worked in London, the West Midlands and Scotland before moving to the North in 2000 following the bank’s takeover by RBS.

John Barker said: “I’m really passionate about purpose-led leadership and responsible lending and Together’s common sense approach and its dedication to providing flexible products is something that has appealed to me for a long time.

“One of my first major tasks will be looking into the digital customer journey, so that we can cater for all our customers, no matter what route they want to take to communicate with us. Some may want to self-serve through our app, while others may want to have a telephone conversation, so it is about offering that choice.

“I’m a huge advocate for engagement and increasing job satisfaction for my colleagues at Together, which is highly-regarded in the financial services sector for its amazing work in this area. I want to build on the pride that they already have in providing excellent customer service - to achieve our ambition of becoming the UK’s most valued specialist lender.”

Gerald Grimes, Together’s CEO designate, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to welcome someone of John’s calibre and experience to this new role. His appointment demonstrates how crucial our operational teams are in the ongoing success of our business.

“John has a proven track record of people and purpose-led service and technology transformation. Throughout his career he has excelled in delivering market leading colleague, customer, conduct, and client outcomes and meeting the strategic objectives of businesses and clients. We know his appointment will prove a huge benefit for our business and look forward to welcoming him to Together.”

Richard Topliss commented: “I have known Together for more than 20 years, and have been inspired by its success and values in becoming one of the most amazing privately-owned financial services business in the country.

“I’m excited to be joining such a forward-thinking and entrepreneurial business to support the corporate team as it continues to expand its brand, identifying more opportunities for growth in the North West and across the UK.”

Chris Baguley, corporate MD at Together, added: “Richard is very well known across the North West and the wider UK market and is someone both myself and the Group executive have always respected enormously. To have someone of such high calibre working alongside us to support our continued long term ambitions, is a real asset to our business and we are looking forward to Richard joining the Together team.”