Matt Elliott

Matt Elliott was appointed Chief People Officer at Bank of Ireland Group in February 2019. He has led the culture transformation of the Bank, developing a company where all colleagues thrive, and has transformed the organisation's people strategy by embedding a culture of care aligned to the Bank's purpose. In 2024, colleague engagement reached a record 75%—a 19-point rise since 2019.

Elliott launched a 3-year Neuroinclusion Strategy, including policy, training for 5,600+ colleagues and 1,200+ managers, and 140+ neuropositive ambassadors. His 14-year-old son is neurodivergent, which brings personal experience to this work. He also introduced a Domestic Abuse Policy, suicide prevention training, and mental health support initiatives, and led the CEO-sponsored review of the Bank's operating model. In 2024, 48% of leadership appointments were women, and 19% of new hires were from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Career history

• Chief People Officer, Bank of Ireland Group (February 2019–present)
• Group People Director, Virgin Money (2011–2019); led the HR work required to acquire and integrate Northern Rock and was a member of the executive team who successfully built the company, leading to a successful FTSE listing in 2014
• VP HR, North Africa, BP (2007–2011)
• HR roles, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) (1997–2007)

Elliott holds an MA Honours degree from University of Dundee (1992–1996) and an MSc in HR from University of Strathclyde (1996–1997). A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity, Matt appeared as a leading ally in the 2018 Financial Times lists for gender (HERoes), ethnicity (EMpower) and LGBT+ (OUTstanding), the only person to appear in all three lists. He was voted HR Network Scotland's 'HR Director of the Year' in 2014.

What Matt Elliott could bring to Bank of Ireland: Elliott's extensive background in large-scale organizational transformation—from leading complex M&A integration at Virgin Money through the Northern Rock acquisition, navigating regulatory change (UK Senior Managers Regime), and driving measurable cultural and inclusion metrics at scale—positions him to continue championing evidence-based HR strategy, inclusive leadership practices, and employee wellbeing as core business drivers rather than peripheral initiatives. His track record of building award-winning HR functions and his personal commitment to neurodiversity and mental health support equip him to lead the Bank's ongoing evolution as an employer during periods of broader financial and organizational change.