NatWest Group plc
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Founders
Royal Bank of Scotland, National Westminster Bank · Founded 1727 · Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Quick Answer
NatWest Group was founded by Royal Bank of Scotland, National Westminster Bank in 1727 in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. The company is currently led by Paul Thwaite.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was founded in Edinburgh in 1727. National Westminster Bank was formed in 1968 from predecessor banks. RBS acquired NatWest in 2000, the group was rescued by the UK government in 2008, and it rebranded as NatWest Group in 2020.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was founded by royal charter in Edinburgh in 1727.
RBS became the corporate platform that later acquired National Westminster Bank and, after the financial crisis, was renamed NatWest Group.
National Westminster Bank was formed in 1968 through the combination of major UK predecessor banks.
The NatWest brand became the dominant customer-facing identity after RBS acquired NatWest in 2000 and rebranded the group in 2020.
Paul Thwaite
Group Chief Executive Officer
Leads NatWest strategy around disciplined growth, simplification, customer relationships, capital strength, and private-ownership momentum.
Rick Haythornthwaite
Chair
Chairs the board during the bank's post-government-ownership phase.
Alison Rose
Former Group Chief Executive Officer
Led the rebrand to NatWest Group before resigning during the Coutts account-closure controversy.
NatWest Group traces its lineage through the Royal Bank of Scotland, founded by royal charter in 1727, and National Westminster Bank, formed from predecessor banks in 1968.
The predecessor institutions created the UK retail and commercial banking relationships that still anchor NatWest.
NatWest's founding story dates to 1727.
The early banking franchises built trust, deposits, payments, and lending relationships that were later combined into the modern group.