Skipton International, part of the Skipton Group, has announced the appointment of Eric Barnett as its new chair.

Skipton International is a bank that provides Sterling and US Dollar savings products for private and corporate savers.

In addition to being a mortgage lender in Guernsey and Jersey, it also provides mortgages on UK buy-to-let property for expats and residents overseas.

Barnett is the former group CEO of SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Ltd, Société Générale’s private banking and wealth management business in the UK, Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

In the first six months of 2024 Skipton International generated underlying pre-tax profits of £18.2 million.

The appointment is subject to regulatory approval. Barnett will join Skipton International in the autumn.

Skipton Group also includes Skipton Building Society, Connells Group (Estate Agency and Property Services), Skipton Business Finance, and Jade Software (the Database and AI company).

Skipton Group employs around 18,000 staff.

“With a career spanning over 35 years in financial services, Eric brings a wealth of experience to Skipton International,” said Skipton Group.

“In addition to spending a decade as the Group CEO at SG Kleinwort Hambros Bank Ltd, Eric Barnett has also served as Chair of several businesses, in addition to a range of non-executive roles for several financial services businesses.

“Eric brings particular experience of lending and also the Channel Islands, having lived in Guernsey for several years.”

Barnett said: “I am thrilled to be joining the team at Skipton International and returning to Guernsey. The business has great ambition, a growing leadership team, and strong values that are rooted in the island. I’m very much looking forward to working with the team to further build on all its success.”

Skipton Group chair Gwyn Burr said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Eric as the new Chair of Skipton International. He joins us with impressive career experience spanning executive roles across financial services, together with first-hand knowledge and understanding of the Channel Islands.

“Eric’s experience and ability will further strengthen Skipton International and prove a valuable asset for the wider Skipton Group.

“I would like to thank Bobby Ndawula, the outgoing Skipton International Chair, for his service and stewardship over the last three years.”

With the building society and Connells Group at the heart of the core business, Skipton Building Society has over a million members and 82 branches. Connells Group has over 1,200 estate agency branches and is the UK’s largest estate agency and property services provider.