Why It Matters
Ensuring universal cash access is critical for financial inclusion, especially as the UK shifts toward digital payments. Ilube’s appointment brings strategic expertise that could shape the future resilience and equity of the nation’s payments infrastructure, making this a timely development for consumers, businesses, and policymakers.
Tom Ilube CBE Appointed Chair of LINK
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Tom Ilube CBE Appointed Chair of LINK
LINK, the UK’s cash access and ATM network, has announced the appointment of Tom Ilube CBE as its new Chair. Tom brings extensive leadership experience spanning technology, education, financial services and major national institutions. He is currently Chair of The King’s Trust UK and a non-executive director at WPP plc, with previous board-level roles including the BBC and serving as Chair of the Rugby Football Union from 2021 to 2024.
I am excited to join LINK at such an important time for the future of payments in the UK. Access to cash remains vital for millions of people and businesses, and ensuring no one is left behind as payments continue to evolve is a responsibility I take very seriously. LINK has a critical role to play in maintaining that access while helping the UK navigate a rapidly changing financial landscape.
Tom Ilube, Chair, LINK
His financial services background includes being part of the founding team of Egg Bank and founding Noddle, a credit reporting service within CallCredit (now TransUnion), which grew to four million users before being acquired by Credit Karma in 2019. He has also served on NatWest Group’s Technology Advisory Board. Alongside this, Tom has held a number of prominent education and charitable leadership roles, including Founding Chair of Hammersmith Academy, Chair of ADA College, and Founding Chair of the African Gifted Foundation.
Tom began his career at Goldman Sachs, PwC and the London Stock Exchange. He was awarded a CBE in 2018 for services to technology and philanthropy, and is an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and St Anne’s College, Oxford.
We are delighted to welcome Tom as Chair of LINK. His breadth of experience across technology, financial services, national institutions and charitable organisations will be valuable at a pivotal moment for the UK’s payments infrastructure. I look forward to working closely with him.
John Howells, CEO, LINK
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