She will be responsible for the workforce of about 17,000 staff across the UK.
Brown told HR magazine she was instantly impressed by the “clearly very engaged workforce” at Nationwide.
“Around 82% of employees say they are proud to work for Nationwide, so that was a great sign for me,” she said. “I was also attracted to the size and scope of the role. So many people use Nationwide products and services. There is also the draw of working for a company with more than 160 years of heritage.”
Brown will report to group director Alison Robb, a member of the executive committee who is responsible for HR, communications and planning. She will join Robb in ensuring Nationwide’s commitment to the living wage, among other issues.
Brown said that she will take her experience of “using all the channels of communicating to staff” from her time at Capgemini.
“In any job it’s crucial to understand what’s important for employees,” she added.
Brown had been at IT consultancy Capgemini for 13 years before joining the building society on 27 October. She previously held director roles at Colt Technology Services and Cable & Wireless.
During her time at Capgemini, she was responsible for the shared services activity across both the UK and India. She oversaw significant employee transformation programmes that included bringing three legacy organisations under one umbrella.
Brown is passionate about getting young people, in particular women, to consider careers in IT. She has worked with Business in the Community on its Talent and Skills campaign and the new Careers Lab initiative launched by National Grid.
