Gary Brook Email & Phone Number

Senior Corporate Communications and External Affairs Leader.Highly accomplished with significant experience and expertise in both internal and external executive communications, business to business and business to consumer communications. Delivered corporate responsibility, charitable foundation and charity partnership management, and reputation and crisis management. Results focussed and able to deliver innovative solutions to achieve commercial objectives in a highly regulated national and international environment with more than £50 billion of assetsExecutive CommunicationsManaged the reputation of the UK's 3rd largest building society and advised on all scenarios impacting the brand, led the sequencing of communications and crisis response to all business incidents. Provided advice and counsel to the CEO on internal and external communications to colleagues, customers and the media.External CommunicationPromoted and protected the Society’s reputation through proactive and reactive media press releases and statements, and brand campaigns. Developed and maintained excellent media relations including broadcast, national, regional and trade journalists.Internal Communication (IC)Developed the Internal Communications team and channels, including a new intranet, to improve the delivery of key strategic messages and keeping colleagues informed. Provided expert advice to the CEO and senior team collaborating on delivering both positive and more challenging messages with integrity.Corporate Responsibility (Responsible Business)Developed the Society’s first Corporate Responsibility (CR) report, the first CR Framework and Strategy. Implemented a CR Steering Group with business wide representatives to provide oversight and drive action and published first ever strategic external targets.Charitable Foundation and Strategic Charity PartnershipsManaged the Society’s Charitable Foundation and served as a Trustee for more than a decade, including rebranding and developing the strategy. Responded to the pandemic and created a Covid fund which made all Foundation donations unrestricted.EngagementRecruited and developed high performing teams across external and internal communications and corporate responsibility, increased transparency and developed key strategic partnerships including Leeds Rhinos, Samaritans, Dementia UK and BITC

Listed skills include Media Relations, Marketing Communications, Corporate Communications, Public Relations, and 15 others.