ClearBank appoints former Barclays exec as CFO

ClearBank has appointed Mark Fairless as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

Fairless joins the clearing bank as head of the finance team and will also be an executive director on ClearBank’s UK board and a member of the executive committee.

The bank said he will play a vital role in supporting its growth in the UK, Europe and internationally.

He takes over the role from Glen Lucken, who has been interim CFO for the bank since June.

"I believe strongly in the potential of ClearBank to drive innovation within financial services, and of the significant opportunity that lies ahead. 2023 is set to be a hugely important period for the business,” Fairless said.

“I’ve joined at the perfect time and cannot wait to help ClearBank achieve its sizable ambitions.”  

Fairless joins from M&G, where he was most recently CFO of the company’s heritage business.

He brings more than 17 years of experience to the role, including senior positions at Santander and Barclays.

Having reached profitability in 2022, ClearBank looks set for a big 2023 as it expects to roll out a new range of products and services and launch in Europe later this year.

“Mark joins us at a truly exciting time for ClearBank, as we build on the achievements of 2022 and make progress on our growth ambitions for 2023,” ClearBank CEO Charles McManus said.

“Mark will bring a wealth of global knowledge, expertise, and experience to the ClearBank team that will be critical to our future success.”