Nationwide ex-executives join NHL

NATIONAL Home Loans, the troubled mortgage lender, has recruited two of the senior managers made redundant by Nationwide Building Society last year, writes Paul Durman.

Christopher French, who was Nationwide's divisional director for internal audit until last summer, has become NHL's chief operating officer and Brian Murkin, who was the society's divisional director for management services, has joined as divisional director, finance.

Jonathan Perry, NHL's chairman, said the Nationwide connection of the new recruits was a coincidence; the two men were recruited in different ways.

Mr French will take on the running of NHL's main Solihull operation. For the past year this job has been handled by David Hoare of Talisman Management. Mr Perry said Mr Hoare and Talisman would continue to work for NHL, reviewing systems and future strategy.

NHL lost pounds 146.4m last year but Mr Perry said: 'We've moved a lot of roadblocks in the last eight or nine months. We're beginning to get this show on the road.'