Our people | Meet Darren Clarke

Darren Clark, Director of Operations
 

Darren is the Director of Operations at Redwood Bank. Having joined the team in April 2017, Darren’s role is to manage and lead the team to ensure that, as a bank, we continue to deliver for our customers.
 

Tell us more about your role at Redwood Bank and why you’re so passionate about it?

 
My role evolves every day as the bank grows and moves from strength to strength. I really enjoy seeing our teams and the people within them grow and strengthen, helping more customers and creating success for the Bank. Prior to working at Redwood, I had spent most of my career in senior roles at High Street Banks and I’m extremely grateful for the traditional banking approach that I learnt because this is part of the fabric here at Redwood.
 

Having spent so much of your career working for major banks, what made you choose a challenger bank?

 
Redwood presented an exceptional opportunity to deliver for customers and help to fill a niche that major banks were failing in. As a challenger bank, everyone in the team can make decisions that really make a difference. That’s refreshing. I think there is absolutely a space for both challenger banks and high street banks as a vibrant economy needs successful banks of all sizes supporting different segments of the market. Now we’ve had chance to see how customers react, we’re receiving such positive feedback. Customers love the personal service that we provide for both savers and borrowers.
 

What advice would you give to someone just starting in the industry?

 
Learn the basics and stay broad in your approach so that you understand as much as possible across the entire organisation. I’d also encourage someone to try and work overseas.
 

And, finally, please tell us something that we don’t know?

 
Well, I’m quite a private person, but there is a strong rumour that I used to be quite a decent rugby player a long time ago.