Mark Brayton, Marketing & Communications Director, Nationwide Building Society

Mark Brayton is a proven marketing leader with more than two decades of experience in financial services. He has a track record of delivering significant marketing transformation within data-rich and digitally focused businesses. Mark is well-known for building, developing, and leading high-performing marketing teams. In 2017, he was named as ‘UK Marketing Leader of the Year’ by the Financial Services Forum.  

Mark spent 18 successful years at Barclays Bank PLC. In his final role as Marketing Director, Barclays UK - Mark led a team of over 150 marketing professionals working across all of Barclays’ B2C & B2B segments within the UK. Mark’s previous leadership roles at Barclays included: PR, Insight, Product Marketing, CRM, Advertising & Brand Management and Digital Innovation.

In 2019, Mark set up his own independent consultancy which provided bespoke marketing, digital and business development leadership. His clients were predominantly FinTech and high-growth businesses, who were looking to scale quickly and confidently.

Mark then joined Yorkshire Building Society in June 2020 to build and transform their new Marketing, Digital Channels and External Affairs function. He led a full cultural and technical marketing transformation in his 18-months at YBS, all aimed at embedding the function more effectively within the group and better aligning their outcomes to ExCo and Board priorities.

In January 2022, Mark was recruited by Nationwide Building Society to become their Marketing Director. Mark is now responsible for all of Nationwide’s Marketing activities, including – Brand; Marketing Strategy; CRM; Member Communications; Advertising; Sponsorship & Partnerships; Digital Marketing; Content; Events and Nationwide’s Community Investment. Mark’s remit has recently expanded to incorporate Nationwide’s Communications function (comprising of PR, Public Policy & Internal Comms); he now leads a community of over 250 marketing and comms professionals, as the Interim CMO within the World’s largest Building Society.

Mark lives with his family in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. In truth though, Mark is a proud northerner, having been born and then grown-up in the Lake District. Mark is sports and music mad! He coaches junior rugby and football and plays several sports (often badly nowadays!) and will happily spectate any-and-all sports and music events!

(Judge: 2022)