The chief executive of Swindon-based Nationwide Building Society has been named as the most people-focused boss in the country.
Graham Beale landed the coveted title at the 20th HR Excellence Awards earlier this week, heading a nine-strong shortlist of private sector CEOs selected on employee feedback and taking into account leadership criteria such as inspiration and confidence in the person leading the organisation and ability to build strong management teams. 
Mr Beale, pictured, was put forward for the award after Nationwide was ranked sixth in Best Companies’ 100 Best Big Companies to Work For list earlier this year.
Nationwide, which employs around 4,000 people at its Swindon head office, said its continued focus on its customers and employees was at the heart of Mr Beale’s victory.
After receiving the award, Mr Beale said: “Organisations are only ever as strong as their people and our 17,000 employees and the culture they engender make Nationwide a very strong and people-focused organisation indeed.
“Our approach of doing the right thing by our employees and the 14m members who own Nationwide is as true today as it was when we were founded almost 170 years ago and awards like this go to show how valued this is.”
During his eight years as Nationwide’s CEO, Mr Beale has steered the mutual organisation through some challenging times – particularly for the financial services industry. Nationwide’s continued focus on the needs of its members and doing the right thing means it remained a safe and trusted financial organisation.
He has taken a personal interest in driving many of the issues forward which make Nationwide an exemplar employer.
Alongside championing the consumer causes that matter to Nationwide’s members – such as Stamp Duty reforms and increasing ISA limits – Mr Beale has also led the society in becoming a Living Wage employer and encouraging other organisations to do the same by becoming the Living Wage Foundation’s first high-street principal partner.
