Francis Retter
About Francis Retter
Francis Retter is an Enterprise Architect with extensive experience in the financial services sector, currently working at Nationwide Building Society. He has a strong background in software engineering and architecture, complemented by academic qualifications in Computer Science and Law.
Work at Nationwide Building Society
Currently, Francis Retter serves as an Enterprise Architect at Nationwide Building Society, a position he has held since 2019. In this role, he leads the architecture for refactoring the Digital Bank’s authentication processes onto cloud services, focusing on the development of an enterprise-wide Identity Platform. Prior to his current role, he worked as a Senior Analyst from 2009 to 2014 and as a Solution Architect from 2014 to 2017. During his tenure, he successfully led the migration of Nationwide’s Digital Bank onto a new scalable and resilient platform, integrating cloud technology and event-driven architecture.
Education and Expertise
Francis Retter has an extensive educational background in both technology and law. He earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the West of England from 1992 to 1995. He furthered his education by obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the same institution in 1996. Additionally, he studied Computer Science at the University of Bristol, achieving a Master of Science (MSc) from 2003 to 2005. His expertise includes a deep understanding of technologies such as Cloud, Big Data, Mobile Banking, and Security, with specialized knowledge in Identity and Authentication.
Background
Francis Retter began his career as a solicitor, where he developed strong people and communication skills that allowed him to effectively bridge the gap between business and technical domains. He transitioned into the technology sector, starting as a Software Engineer at IPL in 2006. He then worked as a Technical Analyst at O2 UK from 2006 to 2009, followed by a position as Lead Solution Architect at Aviva from 2017 to 2019. His diverse background in both law and technology has contributed to his current role in enterprise architecture.
Achievements
Throughout his career, Francis Retter has made significant contributions to various organizations. At Nationwide Building Society, he led the successful migration of the Digital Bank to a new platform, enhancing its scalability and resilience. He has also played a key role in developing an enterprise-wide Identity Platform to improve authentication processes. His work on large finance transformation programs has allowed him to develop specialist knowledge in Identity and Authentication, further solidifying his expertise in the field.