About us

Tireless work is a given. Having it appreciated, isn’t.

We are a UK bank built to meet the needs of a community which deserves attention and recognition. People like you, who work hard for their success, and appreciate everything it enables them to do and become.

People who expect their loyalty to be rewarded and seek the service they deserve. We have built Monument from the ground up, precisely for this community. At its basics, it’s banking. But in your hands, it can become so much more.

Why call ourselves Monument?

The Monument in central London is a commemoration of the end of the Great Fire of London and the beginning of the world’s first modern city. As stone replaced wood, the City’s foundation became stronger.

What is less well known is that the Monument was also designed as a landmark scientific instrument – a giant telescope to advance knowledge. Monument therefore reflects our purpose as a new bank that will deliver strength, appreciation, and a visionary path forward.

Our team.

We bring decades of experience working in leading financial institutions and professional services. We’re here for our clients and the level of service they deserve.

Our Team Members

Ian Rand

CEO

Ian has worked in finance for over 20 years, most recently leading Business Banking at Barclays, and during his career has developed 2 passions – for clients, and the technology that helps them fulfil their ambitions.

In his spare time, you will normally find Ian falling off a mountain bike or a paddle board; or trying to persuade the family of the merits of a long hike on the South Downs.

Mintoo Bhandari

Founder, Head of Global Institutional Relationships

Mintoo spent most of his career as an investor, building teams, and developing forward thinking institutions. Here, at Monument, he is doing much of the same, except this time he is also solving a frustration he’s personally experienced. He left Apollo Global Management after nearly 12 years as a Senior Partner and Managing Director, working in New York, London and then successfully setting them up in India. He’s also worked at the world's largest university endowment (Harvard University) as an investor and served on the Boards of more than 20 companies across three continents.

Mintoo graduated from MIT with a S.B. in Mechanical Engineering and earned his MBA at Harvard.

In his spare time, you might find him working on charitable initiatives or in the gym. He won’t tell most people, but he was once known for his inverted iron-cross and similar feats.

Wasim Khouri

Chief Strategy Officer

Wasim is obsessed with two things: a client-first approach and use of modern technology to deliver our strategy. Prior to joining, he spent most of his career at McKinsey working with clients on strategy, revenue growth management and large digital transformations, specialising in consumer-centric organisations, and the use of data science. He actually started his career in Tech and now he’s adding the Fin.

Wasim holds a MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Imperial College, London.

In his spare time, he pretends to go (and like) boxing. But really, it’s just burning calories before dinner.

David Young

Chief Operating Officer

David started his career at Boston Consulting Group working with clients across telecoms, energy and financial services.  Having joined a banking client initially on secondment, he never left and has spent the last 20 years in Banking where he has found his sweet spot using new technology to deliver great customer service.   He loves the challenge of building and scaling new, fast-paced organisations and has accumulated many war stories whilst at Metro Bank, iFast Global Bank and GB Bank.

David holds a BBS in Finance and a Masters from Trinity College Dublin.

In his spare time, David loves travelling, wine tasting and live music and is happiest when he can combine all 3 into the same trip.

Simon Coles

General Counsel

Simon has spent over 20 years as a lawyer in financial services, banking and technology.  Simon trained and qualified with Allen & Overy and the first part of his career was largely spent as a banking lawyer in private practice, including as a partner in two firms.  Since 2016 Simon has been a General Counsel in the fintech/scale-up space, building, scaling and leading legal, compliance and other cross-functional teams.

Simon holds a law degree from Girton College, University of Cambridge and a diploma in management from Birkbeck, University of London.

In his spare time, Simon dreams of being a musician, tries to keep fit and is kept on his toes by his two young daughters.

Dominique Ogilvie

Chief People Officer

Dominique studied Business Administration at BCHE, Brunel University specialising in Economics and International Finance. She brings with her 21 years of financial services and regulated markets experience from ING Direct UK, Friends Life, Aviva and Entain.

After graduating, she spent 9 years in operational leadership roles within customer service and mortgage & insurance sales before making the transition to HR. Dominique believes that her interchangeable experience has been invaluable and helps her to provide meaningful strategic partnering to the business.

In her spare time, you’ll most likely find Dominique being taken for a walk by her dog or planning her next trip to fulfil an ambition of seeing classical opera in its country of origin.

Feike Brouwers

Chief Risk Officer

Feike is a Dutchman who has lived and worked in the UK for 16 years. After starting his career at Price Waterhouse as an auditor, he has worked in retail banking for over 25 years. He has been the Chief Finance Officer of the on-line retail bank ING Direct France and ING Direct UK and subsequently held Chief Risk Officer positions at Coventry Building Society, Tesco Bank, Kensington Mortgages and the start-up Revver bank.

Feike studied Economics and post-graduate Accountancy at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Rochester University, New York.

In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, wine tasting and wine collecting (he has a level-3 diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust), reading and running.

Fiona Pollard

Chair of Monument

Fiona has served as an independent Non-Executive Director of the Bank since September 2019. Fiona has held a varied portfolio of Non-Executive Director roles including Chair of Melton Building Society and the VisitEngland Advisory Board. In her earlier banking career, she worked for Barclays, Daiwa Europe Bank, NatWest Capital Markets, and Goldman Sachs.

She was on the Board of SEEDA with responsibility for Business and Tourism as well as being a founder member of the Kent Tourism Alliance, Chair of KM Radio, and one of the Trustees behind the building of the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate.

In her spare time, she is enjoying art, food and wine – preferably all together!

Sir Andrew Likierman

Audit Chair

A London Business School professor (and former Dean), who has also had a very successful career in commercial life and government. His past non-executive directorships include the Bank of England and Barclays plc and he is currently the senior national independent director of Times Newspapers Holdings Ltd and a director of quoted insurance Lloyds underwriter Beazley plc.

Andrew has won the Sunday Times award for Non-Executive Director of the Year in the public/not for profit sector.

As an academic, Andrew’s working and non-working time tend to merge. He is currently working on how to improve human judgement in public and private life.

Steve Friedlos

Chair of Remuneration Committee

Steve brings 30+ years of technology management experience to our Board. He has held CIO positions across investment banks, private banks, brokers and other financial services firms and has led the delivery of complex technology implementations and transformations.

Previously CIO at Bupa, and prior to that he was CIO and subsequently COO at The Co-operative Bank plc where he led a successful technology migration and was a key member of the Executive team which turned the bank around.

In his spare time Steve doesn't know how to relax, preferring instead a range of strenuous outdoor activities, over-ambitious DIY projects and researching his next gadget purchase.

Martin Hagerty

Risk Chair

A risk expert through and through, Martin held senior roles at a variety of large institutions as well as some recent Fintechs. He was the CRO at HSBC for the retail bank in Europe and latterly for Latin America and held similar roles at Mark & Spencer Money, MBNA, and Standard Chartered Bank. He was also the Chair of the Risk Committee for Chetwood Financial and helped Equifax go through the FCA Authorisation process following changes in the UK consumer credit regulations.

Martin is currently a NED at Oakbrook Finance and was Chairman of Castlight Financial until very recently when it was acquired by Equifax.

In his spare time, he’s watching football and hasn’t missed a Wales game in 8 years. He also has a passion for gardening, although that’s not always clear looking at his garden…

Khalid Kalban

NED

Mr Kalban is one of the most distinguished executives in the GCC Region. He has a long and successful career in various key management roles across the investment, financial, insurance, real estate, manufacturing and education sectors. As Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Investments, for more than 20 years he has led the company through a pioneering journey, successfully growing it into a leading diversified business group in the UAE and across the region.

He additionally holds the role of Chairman of Al Mal Capital PSC, Board Director of National General Insurance Company (NGI) and Board Director for Arcapita Group, Bahrain and Africa Crest Education (ACE) Holding Co.

His career experience was gained through various Executive positions within the UAE Central Bank in Abu Dhabi, Al Khaleej Investment Singapore and Arab Insurance Group (ARIG) and has previously held Chair and Board Director positions at Emirates International Bank, Islamic Bank pf Singapore and Ajman Bank.

Mr Kalban holds an Associate Degree of Arts in Business Management from Arapahoe Community College, USA, and a BS in Management from the Metropolitan State College, USA

Caroline Ashton

Non-Executive Director

Caroline joined the board in March 2024. She is a Chartered Management Accountant and has 20+ years Executive Director experience at TD Bank and Tenet Group. She brings in depth Finance, Risk and Regulatory experience. She also has experience in significant digital projects.

Caroline is Non-Executive Director at Al Rayan Bank and Loughborough Building Society. She is a trustee of St Anne’s Community Services providing supporting living and support for homeless people.

Caroline lives in Leeds and is a proud mum of two adult girls. In her spare time she enjoys skiing and travel, she will be often found at the gym or digging the garden.

Hemant Mishr

NED

Hemant is an Asian Financial markets expert and Co-founded SCUBE Capital, a Monetary Authority of Singapore-regulated fund management company, after a successful 20-year stint with Standard Chartered bank

He was a member of the SCB Global Leadership team and led the Financial Markets & the Investment Bank for South Asia before taking responsibility for the Markets business for 10 Asian countries.

Hemant has served on the boards of Standard Chartered Securities Limited, Standard Chartered Investment and Loans Limited & the Fixed Income, Money Markets and Derivatives association and the advisory board of a leading Indian commodity exchange.

He has strong relationships with Asian regulators and policymakers. He advised the Reserve Bank of India Committee on Currency Futures and the Indian Finance Ministry on the sovereign ratings advisory for India.

He is passionate about using the power of financial markets for the greater good and is involved in community initiatives focused on providing access to education for children.

In his spare time when Hemant is not in the gym, he is listening to music or watching movies with family.

Ashraf Piranie

NED

Ashraf has had a long and successful career in financial services.

Ashraf’s experience includes Chief Financial Officer role at Redwood Bank, Group Finance and Operations Director at West Bromwich Building Society for six years, and he previously held the position of Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director at Nottingham Building Society for ten years. Ashraf has also held positions of Finance Director and Joint Managing Director at Al Rayan Bank (formerly Islamic Bank of Britain) and Director of Finance at Santander (formally Alliance & Leicester plc).

During this period Ashraf was responsible for a wide range of areas: strategy (including acquisition and mergers), operations, customer service, change management, IT, branch network, risk, finance and treasury. Ashraf has also led and delivered on long term wholesale funding programmes and capital raising initiatives.

Ashraf was Deputy Chairman of the Bank of England’s PRA Practitioner Panel from 2013 to 2020 and Non-Executive Director of Nottingham Development Enterprise.

In his spare time Ashraf’s interests include travel, football, volunteering at a local food bank and providing support to a charity engaged in Malawi.

Helene Brichet

NED

Helene brings a 30-year career in Financial Services, most recently as CFO at Capital One UK and of European CFO at EVO Payments. Her experience spans international blue-chip companies in retail and consumer finance, and payments, including 16 years at Visa. She has acquired a strong commercial outlook from senior roles in Strategy, Pricing and Acquisitions & Partnerships.

A key thread throughout Helene’s career is growth and change – supporting companies through both internal and external growth, but also coaching and mentoring entrepreneurs and professionals for personal growth and professional development.

Helene is a Non Executive Director with humm, the UK subsidiary of the consumer and commercial finance Australian-listed group. A strong advocate of a fairer financial services market, she sits on the Customer Advisory Board of Fairer Finance. Helene is also a Trustee on the EDHEC Business School’s foundation.

In her spare time, Helene seeks new experiences and is an arts & ‘art de vivre’ lover. She regularly feels the urge to leave the City (and the English weather) behind, travel places and immerse herself in different worlds, landscapes and cultures.