Choice to return was one from the heart

But when Jason Walsh sat in his vehicle in the car park outside CPP’s offices in York, wondering whether he should turn round and go home, there were particular reasons for being apprehensive.

For on that day in May this year he was returning to a company where he had spent much of his career,which he had seen caught up in controversy and turmoil - and where he was about to take his place as the new man at the helm.

Mr Walsh was announced as the incoming chief executive at 9am that day - which meant he got some odd looks when he and some of CPP’s new non-executive board members turned up at reception at 8.30am.

After the announcement he took part in a number of meetings with colleagues. “I had an opportunity to reintroduce myself, and the welcome I got was absolutely overwhelming, a very, very warm welcome, and I think the non-execs were almost staggered by that.”

The welcome reflected the fact that Mr Walsh had already spent more than 12 years at CPP, starting in 2002 and moving up the management ladder to increasingly senior roles.

He was raised in Appleton Roebuck, where he attended the village primary school and delivered The Press in his spare time. He went to Tadcaster Grammar School and then Manchester University, where he studied economics.

He worked at the Halifax and HBOS before joining CPP as a product manager, moving through roles until finally becoming managing director of its two UK-regulated firms, Card Protection Plan and Homecare Insurance.

He was with the firm when 1,200 people worked in its York offices at Holgate Park and at call centres in Tamworth and Chesterfield. In 2010 CPP’s UK operations produced two-thirds of its profits.

But then the company became embroiled in a long-running and highly public investigation into misselling products, which ended with CPP facing a multimillion-pound bill to meet fines and the cost of making redress to customers. In addition the company still faces restrictions on selling certain products.

Mr Walsh was heavily involved in liaising with regulators in the investigation and redress process, and by the middle of 2014 had decided on a move. “I went for a change of direction and worked as a contractor for Ernst & Young as a self-employed consultant for one of their major banking clients in the UK.”

But after almost two years he got a phone call suggesting a return to York as chief executive. “Although I did take time to consider and evaluate it, in the end it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. This was the only job I would have considered leaving Ernst & Young for.”

While his new role was still secret he “watched in the wings” as a boardroom battle was fought out which ended with the departure of the previous chief executive and chairman. Mr Walsh said he was “heartbroken” at the reputational damage caused by the very public struggle.

He arrived at a business which had reduced in size, with 300 people now working at Holgate Park, split between the UK operation and the group function. But with operations in ten countries, CPP has found its overseas markets are growing significantly, helping to prompt an announcement last month that its profits for 2016 are likely to be ahead of expectations.

So the focus will be on continued growth overseas, with India an increasingly important market, developing innovative new products and rebuilding the UK business.

On the innovation side, the company has been working on a product it believes has global appeal, which warns customers if there their personal details are being used on the internet, including the so-called “dark web”, which may mean that their ID has been stolen by criminals.

The UK business is being separated from group activities so it can be evaluated like any other market, and now has its own country manager in Will Oaten.

Mr Walsh believes that in 2017 CPP will put its problems with the regulators behind it, and hopes it will be operating free from restrictions by the end of the year, making it a crucial period in his 2020 vision and strategic plan.

“I’m very hopeful for next year, with continuing growth in our overseas markets and building a platform in the UK that can capitalise on the opportunities for next year onwards around product creation and innovation,” he said.

CPP is also due to go through a rebranding exercise, following some work done internally on repositioning the business.

“Also running through all this is looking after our people, who make all this happen. It’s all about reward and recognition, development of talent, career progression from within.

“I’m an example, having come through from junior management level to this now; there are other examples in the organisation.”

Since he started CPP has put in place monthly social nights, also free food and drink in the restaurant on certain days as a thank-you and a local greengrocer brings in free fruit.

“I’m trying to create a better, more inclusive community internally with colleagues, and those small things help,” he said.

The Press reported earlier this month that 19 jobs were to be be lost on the UK operations side, though ten new posts were being created elsewhere in CPP. Mr Walsh said he had also cut posts from his senior management team, adding he wanted a “lean, efficient corporate centre”.

And he wanted to take a different direction in the future. “I want to grow this building again, I want to fill the car park again.

“I want the taxi driver from the railway station to say positive things about CPP again. It’s about being in the community, building a business we can be proud of.

“It’s important for me to re-establish the credibility of CPP in the local community. I want to raise the profile of the business, to be out there more in the community, I want to be working with charities.”

The community plans include fundraising to help elderly people, sponsoring sports teams and offering work experience opportunities to schools.

He has been married to Pollyann for 20 years.The couple met at university and have seven children, six boys and one girl, and live in Horsforth near Leeds.

With a strong family life and a promising career outside CPP, what stopped him driving out of the car park that morning in May? “My heart was always here. I still have a great deal of enthusiasm and passion for it, and determination to make this a success.

“I think if I had let that opportunity slide by, I would be regretting that for the rest of my days.”