Bernau unveiled as CML chairman

Stuart Bernau, commercial and treasury director of Nationwide has succeeded Anne Gunther as chairman of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Bernau joined Nationwide in 1990, following an earlier period at NatWest.

At Nationwide he has held a number of different positions, and was appointed to the board in 1996.

He is on the board of the Financial Services Skills Council and is a passionate advocate of service excellence.

The CML's deputy chairmen are Charles Haresnape, director of mortgage sales and Intermediary development at the RBS Group and Jon Pain, managing director of Cheltenham & Gloucester and Lloyds TSB bank savings.

Bernau says: "Last year was one of major change for the mortgage industry, with the introduction of FSA regulation. I

"In 2005 the industry needs time to bed down on the regulatory front. One of my aims is therefore to make sure that UK and European regulatory developments do not cause short-term disruption so soon after the FSA's wholesale overhaul of mortgage regulation.

"This year is also set to be a slower year for the mortgage industry in terms of business volumes and this will provide another challenge.

"Another priority for the CML will be negotiating with policymakers to get the right framework in place for a long-term affordable, sustainable, flexible housing market."