Natwest boosts AI strategy with AWS and Accenture July 23, 2025 Natwest Group has announced a five-year collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and consultancy Accenture to accelerate its bank-wide data and AI transformation, ahead of its half-year earnings release scheduled for July 25. The agreement forms part of the group’s broader strategy to simplify its operations and offer a more personalised customer experience. By consolidating data currently housed [...]
UK bank profits in focus as lenders await critical motor finance court ruling July 20, 2025 Investors will be hoping UK banks will report solid earnings as lenders await the outcome of a critical court judgment that could unleash a major car finance compensation scheme. Lloyds Banking Group will kick off the sector’s half-year earnings with its results on Thursday, followed by NatWest Group on Friday. It comes at a significant [...]
AI triggers biggest financial services skills crunch in 15 years May 19, 2025 The UK financial services sector is facing its most significant technology skills shortage in over 15 years, driven by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. According to the latest Harvey Nash digital leadership report, AI has surged from the seventh to the most scarce technology skill in just 18 months – a 260 per cent [...]
Britain’s SMEs must get over their aversion to debt to ramp up growth May 8, 2025 Britain's small businesses can power growth, but only with a rebooted SME finance market, writes Allica Bank CEO Richard Davies.
UK banks to post first results since interest rate cut October 20, 2024 Major UK banks are to reveal whether borrowers are benefiting from lower interest rates as they report third-quarter results over the next two weeks.
Lloyds Bank profit slides as interest rate boom slows July 25, 2024 Lloyds Banking Group recorded a slide in profit in the first half of the year after a surge in costs and a slowdown in the amount of cash it was making on the back of interest rates. The group – which owns Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows – reported a pretax [...]
Profit drops at Santander UK but boss Regnier hopes for brighter second half July 24, 2024 Santander UK reported a sharp drop in profit in the first half of the year but said there were signs of growing tailwinds for the rest of 2024. The Spanish bank’s UK arm reported pretax profit of £804m in the first six months of the year, down from £1.2bn in the same period last year. [...]
HSBC appoints new chief to replace outgoing boss Noel Quinn July 17, 2024 The bank has announced Georges Elhedery will take over the role as the head of the bank from 2nd September.
I’m the only openly gay CEO in UK banking. LGBT people still face so many barriers June 24, 2024 The City can put on a good show for Pride, but its C-suite record shows LGBT representation still has a long way to go, writes Anthony Watson.
Sainsbury’s Bank sale marks end of an era for supermarkets June 20, 2024 Sainsbury's has agreed to sell most of its banking arm to Natwest, in a deal that will see the supermarket pay the lender £125m.