Paul Thwaite

Date of appointment: 
25 July 2023

Contribution to the Board:

Paul was appointed Chief Executive Officer in July 2023. Prior to his appointment, he was Chief Executive of the Commercial & Institutional (C&I) business, bringing together the teams that support NatWest’s business customers ranging from entrepreneurs and start-ups through to multi-nationals and financial institutions. Responsible for setting the strategy, vision and culture across multiple businesses, brands and entities, under Paul’s leadership, C&I delivered long-term sustainable growth and value as a trusted partner to its customers.

Paul brings strong expertise in strategic transformation, balance sheet management and risk, as well as a relentless focus on customer experience. He was central to the formulation and execution of the Group’s strategy reviews in 2014 and 2019, and has led the development and delivery of a number of industry-leading initiatives and programmes. Foremost amongst these were his leadership of the Group’s response to supporting businesses throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and his ownership of NatWest’s integrated Payments and Embedded Finance strategy. Throughout his career Paul has taken an active role in promoting talent, building and leading inclusive teams across multiple geographies and disciplines to deliver for customers and wider stakeholders.

Relevant experience:

Paul has over 30 years’ experience in financial services having held senior roles within Wholesale, Corporate, International, Risk and Retail Banking, across the UK, Europe and US. 

External appointments:

• Member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Manchester.