Elect James Sherwin-Smith to represent Nationwide building society members
Ben Martin, Financial Editor Friday June 26 2026, 3:10pm, The Times The last member of Nationwide Building Society to vie for a seat on its board has said he is “shocked and deeply disappointed” by the mutual’s treatment of the customer who is following in his footsteps. Alan Debenham, who unsuccessfully stood seven times as […]
In the latest TV ad from Nationwide poking fun at its shareholder-owned rivals, the self-important bank boss played by Dominic West grumbles “I deserve a bonus” when he’s told the building society is doling out £100 payments to millions of members. Just wait until he hears about the awards the mutual has handed to its chief executive.
The boss of Nationwide’s pay package has nearly doubled over the past year after Britain’s biggest building society almost tripled her maximum bonus entitlement to more than £3 million. Dame Debbie Crosbie received total remuneration of nearly £4.7 million in the year to March 31, up from £2.49 million over the previous 12 months, Nationwide announced in its annual report on Monday. She is also in line for […]
James Sherwin-Smith, a member-nominated candidate for the board, is crying foul about the way the building society is organising the vote By Ben MartinThursday June 04 2026, 8.50pm, The Times Link: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/nationwide-building-society-vote-james-sherwin-smith-rst096r25 Ask Dame Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of the customer-owned Nationwide Building Society, whether the mutual is open to members joining its board and her […]
James Sherwin-Smith, who is attempting to secure a board seat but is locked in a dispute with the building society, has complained to the FCA By Guy TaylorThursday June 04 2026, 4.40pm, The Times Link: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/nationwide-building-society-sherwin-smith-5x8kwgnh8 A Nationwide customer pushing for a seat on the building society’s board has urged Britain’s financial regulator to intervene after […]
Dear Supporter, I wanted to update you on a major development in the campaign for greater accountability and member representation at Nationwide. Yesterday, after a piece published in The Times regarding the extended delay, Nationwide formally confirmed that the Board will NOT be recommending my candidacy for election to the Board at this year’s AGM. […]
[UPDATE 28th May, 19:36 I have now obtained a copy of Nationwide’s “reactive media statement” briefing against my candidacy. I urge supporters to review my below responses and — with regards to Note 4 in Nationwide’s statement — to consider my response on the quick vote here: Fact checking Nationwide’s statement re ’emerging governance issues’.] […]
The rebel Nationwide customer campaigning to join the building society’s board has accused it of orchestrating an “unfair fight” after the mutual urged its members to oppose him.
Britain’s biggest building society said on Thursday it was recommending that its members vote against James Sherwin-Smith’s election as a director at its annual meeting in mid-July because its board had concluded […]
The rebel member of Nationwide campaigning to join the mutual’s board has hit out at Britain’s biggest building society over its handling of the vote.
Nationwide confirmed in April that Sherwin-Smith had enough nominations from other customers to have his candidacy put to a vote. But the society has yet […]
Members were never given a say on the mutual’s biggest takeover since it was founded in 1884 — now they are going to see whether it was worth it Ben Martin, Banking Editor Sunday May 17 2026, 2.40pm Link: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/nationwide-results-virgin-merger-integration-member-director-57bt8tfbh When Nationwide revealed in March 2024 that it was spending £2.9 billion snapping up Virgin […]
A campaigning customer has secured a board ballot spot for Nationwide for the first time in 21 years By Ben Martin, Banking Editor Link: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/nationwide-faces-board-challenge-from-member-hgw5t6twz About nine million members of Nationwide will have the opportunity to elect one of their own to the board of the mutual for the first time in 21 years after […]
From today’s edition (31 March 2026) of The Times, Patrick Hosking, Financial Editor, writes in his business column: Let him stand “James Sherwin-Smith may or may not be a suitable director of the Nationwide Building Society. But what should not be in doubt is his right to put his name forward as a candidate. “Yesterday […]
The UK’s largest building society has a 4% response at its AGM, raising questions about engagement with its 16.4m members
Not everyone thinks the ‘Big Thank You’ payments are a good idea although they do send a powerful message Patrick Hosking, Financial EditorWednesday March 19 2025, 5.00pm, The Times Link: https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/nationwide-is-paying-out-600m-to-its-members-but-should-it-be-50plkqb5b These are unusually good times to be a building society. Margins are fat; defaults low. Nationwide is so flush with cash it is in […]
My thanks to Patrick Hosking at The Times for putting Nationwide’s recent “big thank you” payment under scrutiny, and for this final paragraph. Read his article in the Times: Nationwide is paying out £600m to its members. But should it be? (19 March 2025) I rather liked this final paragraph: “Sherwin-Smith is too purist about […]