Together hires Barker and Topliss to its senior team

Barker has experience in the financial services sector in leading operations, IT and change. He formerly worked at Co-op Insurance as customer service team manager and was at Capita for 13 years, most recently as its managing director. Before joining Together, Barker was the chief executive of Target Group. 

At Together, he will have responsibility for the lender’s operations and lead its modernisation and transformation strategies. 

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.” 

Barker will also create a more “user-friendly IT experience” so to engage Together colleagues, so they can deliver an even more streamlined service for personal and commercial finance clients. 

He added: “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.” 

Topliss joins as consultant 

Topliss has more than four decades of banking experience and will advise the lender’s corporate team. 

He was formerly the managing director of corporate banking in the North for Natwest, and worked for the business for 43 years. 

Topliss said: “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, said he was “proud” to welcome Topliss who has an “incredible reputation across the sector.” 

Baguley said: “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.”