Business lender CivilisedBank has appointed a chief financial officer (CFO) and a chief technology officer (CTO) in preparation for an early 2018 launch.
CFO James Heath comes from the same position at ABN Amro UK. He previously worked as founding director of challenger bank Cambridge & Counties, where he oversaw the regulatory approval process, on top of a 14-year tenure as finance director for SME banking at Close Brothers.
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CTO Andrew Holmes joined in from Silicon Valley Bank in California, where as head of the enteprise programme management office he oversaw the opening of the bank’s first overseas division in the UK, as well as setting the programme for a launch in Germany.
Heath said: “I am delighted to be joining CivilisedBank as it looks to reinvent traditional banking and rebuild trust between customers and their bank. CivilisedBank’s culture and ethos are crucial in achieving this goal, and the emphasis on relationships and service rather than short-term transaction deals is essential if trust is to be rebuilt. I’m delighted to be working with the team at such a critical time for the bank as it works to serve the needs of UK SMEs.”
Holmes said: “CivilisedBank will be providing a service to SMEs that is both new and necessary, as it caters to a group currently underserved by the incumbent and online-only banks, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team. The right technology will be a great enabler as Local Bankers work with customers in an agile and innovative way, and I’m excited to be leading the development of this crucial platform.”
Philip Acton, chief executive officer, said: “We’re delighted to have James and Andrew joining the CivilisedBank team. As chief financial officer, James brings a wealth of experience, having helped to launch a challenger bank in the past. He also has great SME financing, risk and regulatory experience.
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By GlobalData“Technology will play a vital role in helping us to deliver our business model and as chief technology officer, Andrew brings significant experience in building and launching technology platforms for a new bank. He will be pivotal in delivering technology to provide the best possible service to our customers”
CivilisedBank obtained a banking license last May, and appointed Acton as its chief executive officer two weeks ago.
The bank plans to offer retail savings products on top of business finance ones.
