How Great Culture Helped Double Leumi UK’s Books in 4 Years

Over the past 4 years, Leumi UK has doubled the book. In your view, what role has culture played in enabling that growth?

Culture has been fundamental to our growth over the past four years. Growth at that pace doesn't happen through strategy and execution alone; it happens when people are engaged, aligned, and motivated. What we've built is an environment where colleagues feel valued, empowered to make decisions, and connected to a shared purpose.

That has translated into faster collaboration, better risk awareness, stronger accountability, and a willingness to go the extra mile for our clients and each other. Our leadership style has become more consistent and people-centred, which has helped us attract, retain, and develop the talent needed to scale sustainably. The upward trajectory of our book is clearly correlated to our increased and ongoing engagement over that period.

When you look back at where we were a few years ago, what cultural shifts stand out as the biggest catalysts for such a strong performance?

A clear understanding of who we are, what we're trying to achieve, and how each team contributes to that was a first step. We have become better at listening, whether that’s through surveys, pulse checks, or informal channels such as meeting the Executive Management Committee (EMC) quarterly, and we are better at acting on what we hear.

There has been a shift away from a permission-based attitude towards one that encourages initiative and responsibility. That has had a direct impact on pace and productivity.

Expectations are clearer, communication improved, and the EMC are much more aligned in what we do and how we do it. That consistency has reduced friction and increased trust which is vital for building a strong team culture.

Our guiding principles - Transparency, Empowerment, Anticipation, Membership - how have these moved from being “words on a wall” to embedded behaviours?

The Guiding Principles are showing up in people's behaviours in a very real and observable way. We've become more open in how we share information, whether that's business outcomes, being clear on priorities, or having honest conversations and providing feedback. People understand why decisions are made, not just what the decisions are.

We see teams taking initiative with quicker course of action at the right levels and more proactive problem-solving. People are thinking ahead rather than reacting and there is a far stronger sense of belonging and "one team" thinking.

The embedding of our Guiding Principles starts long before someone’s first day; it begins with our brand, what people say about working at Leumi and that vital first engagement. By making the principles a formal part of our assessment process, we've moved them from "words on a wall" to clear expectations for how we operate every day.

How has our focus on team culture helped individual teams operate more effectively?

Our focus on team culture has created the conditions people need to do their best work, with clarity, trust, teamwork and ownership running through everything we do. Our emphasis on culture has broken down traditional silos with teams collaborating earlier, sharing insights more openly, and solving problems collectively rather than passing them around. This has had a tangible impact on efficiency, client delivery, and risk management.

I really hope everyone feels that our workplace provides an open environment where it is safe to raise issues, challenge perspectives constructively, and learn from mistakes. I witness teams being more adaptable and inquisitive, which I believe enables us all to be more effective.

Have you seen a measurable impact - productivity, engagement, retention - that ties back to cultural investment?

Yes, we've seen a clear, measurable impact across engagement, retention and overall performance. One of the strongest indicators is the question "Would you recommend Leumi as a place to work?" and our scores have consistently been in the 90s. Our voluntary attrition rate was very low in 2025, well below many industry norms. High retention protects knowledge, strengthens continuity, and reduces the cost and disruption that come with constant rehiring.

While culture isn’t the only driver of performance, it’s impossible to ignore the link between how people feel and how they perform. The improvements we've made have translated directly into better pace, stronger planning and more effective delivery.

As we continue to grow, what cultural traits will be most essential for the next stage of the journey?

We must hold on to the belief that our people are the ultimate driver of business performance. It's the culture we've built that has enabled our growth, and it will be the thing that makes future growth truly sustainable. That also means staying curious and self aware as an organisation – always looking for ways to improve, being open when something isn’t quite right, and welcoming honest feedback because we’re prepared to act on it.

We will also need to stay brave in an uncertain market and continue making client needs central to everything we do. The traits that will matter most are the ones that have brought us this far: transparency, accountability, collaboration and a genuine sense of shared purpose. Embedded within that is the confidence to acknowledge we’re not perfect, to listen when we’re challenged, and to keep raising the bar together. If we protect and nurture those as we scale, we won't just continue to grow, we'll grow in the right way.