NatWest picks City veteran as new chairman in wake of Alison Rose exit

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. City veteran Richard Haythornthwaite, known as Rick, will join the bank’s board in January before taking over from Sir Howard Davies when he stands down as chairman from April 15 next year. Her exit came after she admitted to making a “serious error of judgment” in discussing the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage’s relationship with bank Coutts, owned by NatWest Group, with a BBC journalist. I am inheriting a very different NatWest compared to my predecessor; one that is more customer focused, financially resilient and well positioned to maintain its recent strong performance Rick Haythornthwaite, incoming chairman of NatWest He is also the chairman of the AA but will be stepping down from the role, although he will remain on the board, when he joins NatWest. Sir Howard said: “I am very pleased by the choice the board has made and am confident that Rick’s experience and range of skills will complement and further strengthen the NatWest board in the years to come.” Sir Howard said in July that political reaction forced out boss Dame Alison by making her position “untenable”, but vowed to stay on at the bank until his planned resignation.