Mastercard’s Vocalink Names Sir Jon Thompson as Chair

Vocalink has appointed Sir Jon Thompson as its new Independent Non-Executive Chair, signalling a renewed focus on governance and operational resilience at one of the UK’s most critical financial infrastructure providers.

Sir Jon succeeds Tim Murphy, who has served as Interim Executive Chair for the past 18 months.

Tim will remain on the Board until the end of July to support the transition.

The appointment follows a comprehensive selection process and comes at a time when Vocalink is under increasing pressure to maintain robust, always-on systems while supporting the UK’s National Payments Vision.

The company processes more than £30bn (US$40.2bn) in transactions daily, underpinning salaries, pensions and welfare payments across the economy.

Sir Jon says: “I’m honoured to join Vocalink at an important time for UK payments.

“It supports the UK’s economy, providing the resilient, always-on payments infrastructure that millions of consumers, businesses and public services rely on every day.

“I look forward to working with the Board and the leadership team to continue to strengthen the critical services that Vocalink provides. 

“This is a world-class operation that continually draws on its expertise and innovation to help shape the future of UK retail payments infrastructure and protect against an evolving threat landscape.”

Governance focus amid system importance

Sir Jon’s appointment strengthens the independence of Vocalink’s Board at a pivotal moment for the business.

As a systemically important payments operator, the company sits at the centre of the UK’s financial ecosystem, where resilience, regulatory compliance and risk management are closely scrutinised.

His track record across government and regulatory bodies positions him to guide the organisation through a period marked by heightened cyber threats, evolving regulatory expectations and the need for continuous infrastructure investment.

Tim adds: “I’m delighted to welcome Sir Jon to Vocalink.

“He brings the governance, regulatory and leadership experience needed to lead the Board through a strategically significant period for the business.

“This appointment reflects the board’s commitment to strong independent oversight, operational resilience and reliable service for businesses and consumers across the UK.”

Deep financial and public sector experience

Sir Jon brings extensive experience in financial leadership and governance from some of the UK’s most complex institutions.

His previous roles include leading HM Revenue and Customs, the Financial Reporting Council and the Ministry of Defence.

He has also served as Chair of HS2 Ltd and currently holds the position of Independent Non-Executive Chair at Frasers Group.

Earlier in his career, Jon held several senior finance roles across government, including Director General of Finance at the Ministry of Defence and Director General of Corporate Services at the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

He also served as Head of the Government Finance Profession at HM Treasury.

This background is expected to be particularly relevant as Vocalink balances operational demands with long-term investment priorities. 

With payments infrastructure increasingly viewed as national critical infrastructure, financial discipline and governance oversight remain central to maintaining trust among regulators, financial institutions and end users.