NatWest Wants 500,000 Investors. I Suggested Part of the Model Almost 20 Years Ago.

Democratising Coutts investment capability is a good idea. Calling a product-distribution pathway financial planning would not be. There is something rather familiar about NatWest's ambition to grow the number of its retail customers who invest with the bank from around 170,000 to more than 500,000. I know because, almost 20 years ago, I was sitting … Continue reading NatWest Wants 500,000 Investors. I Suggested Part of the Model Almost 20 Years Ago.

When “Alpha” Broke the Bank

In 2007, I was Head of Savings and Investments Strategy at RBS Group, based in the gleaming Gogarburn headquarters that symbolised the bank’s soaring ambition. I had just completed a five-year strategic plan designed to position RBS as a sustainable market leader — one that could combine profitability with prudence, and growth with genuine customer … Continue reading When “Alpha” Broke the Bank