It's all yours!

And, as the two key figures at Britain's third biggest building society, they've plenty to talk about.

Later this month, Mr Cornish will officially become the Yorkshire's new chief executive when Mr Anderson leaves to take up the same prestigious position at JobCentre Plus.

But the new man has made it clear that it will be very much a case of "business as usual" when he departs.

And it's true the pair have more in common than open-neck shirts and a laid back persona.

The two men have been working closely over the past few years to develop the building society's strategy for the next decade.

It is a masterplan firmly entrenched in the philosophy of both men that building societies - and particularly the Yorkshire - have a bright future ahead.

And, in marked contrast to the time of his predecessor's appointment, Mr Cornish should benefit from a period of relative stability when he takes over full-time.

Former management consultant Mr Anderson joined the Yorkshire in 1987 and became chief executive officer at a time of unprecedented turbulence in the industry.

In 1996, a wave of bids by members of building societies to secure windfall payments by converting to banks had just been unleashed.

"No-one had ever paid any attention to the significance of the fact that members of building societies were in effect the owners and all of a sudden people realised that it could be worth £1,000 each," recalled Mr Anderson. "That was pretty destabilising for the sector."

After reviewing the options, Mr Anderson was convinced the best long-term deal for the society's members lay in keeping the Yorkshire out of the hands of shareholders.

But he admitted: "Conventional wisdom was that it was inevitable we would go and that we couldn't stem the tide. We were knocked over by speculative account opening and there were queues of people outside every branch because they were convinced they could get the fastest return ever known.

"It was quite bizarre for a marketing man to be devising ways to stop customers from coming in."

The problem was eventually resolved by asking those who opened new accounts to donate any windfall bonus in the first five years to charity. Then the Yorkshire went on a drive to demonstrate how much could be gained by investing with them rather than the newly converted banks.

"We have managed to demonstrate that there are financial and long term benefits to being a member and we have been able to put pound signs round that," said Mr Anderson. "Our sales process is all about ensuring we offer what is in the best interests of our members - to maximise their position rather than that of the society."

And he's convinced it's worked.

Investments in building societies as opposed to banks are up on the period before the demutualisation crisis and the Yorkshire has grown at an average of ten per cent per annum since 1996.

"Over the period we have created a much stronger case for mutuals than previously existed," said Mr Anderson. "In my seven years in the job I would like to think we have really put the member at the heart of the business."

The 47-year-old admitted it would be a wrench to leave the Yorkshire, but said the chance to take the top job at JobCentre Plus was just too good to turn down.

"I had been on the board for seven years and I think after that length of time you can become a barrier to change instead of a champion of change," he explained. "However open-minded you are it is hard to see things differently after being in the role for so long."

His post at the head of the new organisation formed from the former JobCentres and Benefits Agency will see him take charge of 80,000 staff.

The role will involve overseeing a major reorganisation of the group and Mr Anderson said he believed it was the "biggest change of management job in the UK".

But, for a businessman who proudly boasts that the Yorkshire has been a real "part of the community", there is also a philanthropic appeal about his new position.

"I think there is something really positive about working for an organisation which is helping people to find work and encouraging people to use work to improve their position in society."

And, while he might be leaving his Huddersfield home for a new base in the capital, he has pledged not to turn his back on Bradford, where he is currently acting chairman of the new Urban Regeneration Company.

"I want to stay associated with Bradford and I hope that I can act as an ambassador for the city in London where I will come across a lot of people with the power to influence what happens here," he said, stressing he would stay on the board of the URC.

Meanwhile, back in the trendy, open plan offices on Rooley Lane, his successor underlined his determination to maintain the Yorkshire's community links.

London-born Iain Cornish, who joined the society 12 years ago and has been part of the senior team for five years, has already assumed leadership of the Bradford Cares organisation from Mr Anderson.

And he's also determined to maintain the relaxed atmosphere that's obvious as soon as you walk through the door of the Rooley Lane HQ.

He said that, by abandoning status symbols such as offices for the top brass, the society had created a positive, relaxed atmosphere and a motivated workforce.

"Because building societies have been around for 150 years, there's always a tendency to see them as old, stuffy Victorian organisations," he said. "But in our case it would be difficult to be further from the truth."

Mr Cornish admitted he was assuming control of a "very successful" organisation and said he wanted to maintain the Yorkshire's position by making it even more accountable to its members.

And he said that although the threat from the carpetbaggers had diminished, the Yorkshire faced stiff challenges ahead from fresh competition, international regulation and possible turbulence in the housing market.

"Customers are much more discerning and more aware of the market than they were and everyone has to be on their toes," he said. "We cannot expect our customers to stay with us unless we are delivering for them."

And he was just as bullish about the Yorkshire's commitment to keeping jobs in Bradford, where it currently employs 1,200 people.

"We do get a lot of people very keen to work here because it is such a good quality of life and that is a major attraction," he said. "We are very happy to be in Bradford and we see absolutely no reason to move outside the district."