Mr Copping has a wealth of experience in the financial services sector having worked at RBS for over 30 years where he was regional head of corporate transactions, overseeing a team of relationship managers across the North of England and Scotland.

He has been appointed to the role to support the bank’s national expansion strategy.

With a broad network of contacts and a strong profile in the northern region, Mr Copping will be responsible for driving customer acquisition and managing a team of relationship managers.

Working alongside the bank’s senior management, he will be integral to providing tailored financial solutions for clients against a challenging UK financial backdrop of increased competition and regulatory changes. His appointment follows the launch of Unity Trust Bank’s North West Hub in Manchester, which opened in September 2019.

Margaret Willis, CEO of Unity Trust Bank, said: “John’s appointment strengthens our national footprint, and his wealth of experience in leading commercial banking teams to support businesses with both their transactional banking and lending requirements will be a great asset.

“As Unity Trust Bank continues to grow, we are committed to delivering an exceptional, personal service to businesses supporting them to deliver real value to local communities across the UK.”

Mr Copping added: “Understanding the needs of businesses and supporting their growth is hugely satisfying, and to be able to combine this with Unity Trust Bank’s ethos of delivering social value and making a difference to local communities makes this role even more rewarding.

“We have a unique offer at Unity Trust Bank that holds considerable appeal to a broad range of organisations. There is a real opportunity for us to expand our customer base and extend our products and services to both new and existing customers, and I’m looking forward to building on the bank’s growth to date, both geographically and across sectors.”