Watson will lead the teams responsible for the mortgages, savings and marketing and digital channels.
Watson joins from NatWest, where he worked for around four years, most recently as the managing director for affluent banking and investing. Before that, he was the managing director for strategy, among other senior roles.
Before that, he was at RBS for around a decade in various senior roles, including managing director of personal banking for Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank Northern Ireland.
Watson has also been a chair of RoosterMoney and non-executive director for FreeAgent, as well as a course director for Oxford University’s business economics programme.
Susan Allen, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Simon combines creative, commercial and strategic expertise with a strong focus on colleague and customer engagement.
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“He understands and shares our vision for the society and I am confident he will help drive our success as we continue to grow and support more people to get the most from their savings and find a place to call home.”
Watson added: “I’m thrilled to join Yorkshire Building Society and experience the unwavering dedication of the team to our customers. With initiatives like our £6,250 cashback mortgages and our £5k Deposit Mortgage for first-time buyers, we are already giving customers real help with real life. Building on our 160-year history, I am excited to be part of the team shaping the future.”
