Starling Bank vs Worldpay: Founders, CEOs and History
Starling Bank was founded in 2014 by Anne Boden and is led by Raman Bhatia. Worldpay was founded in 1971 by Nick Ogden and is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments).
Company facts
Starling Bank
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Raman Bhatia
- Employees
- 3,500
Worldpay
- Founded
- 1971
- Headquarters
- Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Current CEO
- Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments)
- Employees
- 8,500
Founders
Starling Bank
Anne Boden
Anne Boden founded Starling Bank in 2014. After an absolutely massive, 30-year career deeply entrenched in the rigid legacy infrastructure of massive global banks (like ABN AMRO and Allied Irish Banks), she became utterly frustrated by their terrible technolog…
Worldpay
Nick Ogden
Nick Ogden founded WorldPay in 1997 as one of the early services for accepting card payments online in multiple currencies. The business later became part of Royal Bank of Scotland's card processing operations. The current Worldpay, Inc.
CEOs and their tenures
Starling Bank
- Anne Boden2014–2023
Founder & CEO
Author of 'Banking On It' and appointed MBE for services to financial technology, Boden is widely hailed as the godmother of modern British fintech.
Source - Raman Bhatia2024–present
CEO
Bhatia previously served as CEO of OVO Energy and Head of Digital Bank for HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management in the UK and Europe.
Source
Worldpay
- Philip Jansen2013–2018
Chief Executive Officer, Worldpay Group plc (2013 - 2018)
Serving as CEO, he aggressively modernized the incredibly complex, legacy payment routing infrastructure before moving on to lead BT Group.
Source - Charles Drucker2024–2026
Chief Executive Officer (2024 - 2026)
Guided Worldpay's separation from FIS and its sale to Global Payments.
Source
Timeline: Starling Bank and Worldpay side by side
1971Worldpay
Fifth Third Bank forms Midwest Payment Systems.
1997Worldpay
Nick Ogden launches the original WorldPay online payment service in the UK.
2010Worldpay
Worldpay Sold by RBS
Royal Bank of Scotland sold a majority of Worldpay to Advent International and Bain Capital in 2010.
2011Worldpay
Fifth Third Processing Solutions adopts the Vantiv name.
2012Worldpay
Vantiv lists on the NYSE.
2013Worldpay
Philip Jansen becomes CEO
Philip Jansen became CEO of Worldpay in 2013. Took the UK business from private equity ownership to a public listing and sale.
2014Starling Bank
Anne Boden incorporates Starling Bank in London with the mission to build the UK's first cloud-native digital bank.
2014Worldpay
Acquired Mercury Payment Systems
Worldpay acquired Mercury Payment Systems for $1.65 billion.
2015Starling Bank
Secures 48 million in early-stage backing from financial investor Harald McPike to fund regulatory capital requirements.
2015Worldpay
Worldpay Group London IPO
Worldpay Group listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2015.
2016Starling Bank
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) grant Starling a full UK banking license.
2017Starling Bank
Launches its mobile personal current account, featuring real-time notifications, in-app card locking, and zero foreign exchange fees.
2018Starling Bank
Launches Starling Business Accounts, introducing modern mobile banking to UK small and medium enterprises.
2018Worldpay
Vantiv acquires Worldpay Group and becomes Worldpay, Inc.
2019Worldpay
FIS acquires Worldpay.
2020Starling Bank
Accredited by the British Business Bank to distribute government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) and Bounce Back Loans (BBLS).
2021Starling Bank
Acquires specialist mortgage lender Fleet Mortgages for 50 million; secures 272 million Series D funding round led by Fidelity.
2022Starling Bank
Becomes the first major UK digital challenger bank to report a full-year operating profit, generating 32 million in pre-tax profit.
2023Starling Bank
Anne Boden steps down as CEO after nine years; Starling launches its global core banking SaaS business, Engine by Starling.
2024Starling Bank
Raman Bhatia appointed Chief Executive Officer; Engine by Starling signs international core banking contracts with Salt Bank and AMP Bank.
2024Worldpay
GTCR closes its purchase of a 55% stake; Charles Drucker returns as CEO.
2026Starling Bank
Starling surpasses 300 million in annual pre-tax profit, 680 million in revenue, and 11 billion in customer deposits across 4.2 million accounts.
2026Worldpay
Global Payments completes its $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay.
Acquisitions
Starling Bank
- Ember2025Undisclosed
- Masthaven Mortgage Portfolio2022Undisclosed
- Fleet Mortgages2021Undisclosed
Worldpay
- Worldpay Group plc2018$10.4B
- Mercury Payment Systems2014$1.6B
- Litle & Co.2012$361M
Questions about Starling Bank vs Worldpay
Who is the CEO of Starling Bank and Worldpay, Inc.?
Starling Bank is led by Raman Bhatia and Worldpay, Inc. is led by Cameron Bready (CEO of parent Global Payments). Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Starling Bank founded vs Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. was founded in 1971 — 43 years before Starling Bank, which was founded in 2014. Worldpay, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Starling Bank.
How many employees does Starling Bank have compared to Worldpay, Inc.?
Starling Bank employs approximately 3,500 people, while Worldpay, Inc. employs approximately 8,500. Worldpay, Inc. has the larger workforce at 8,500 employees, compared to Starling Bank's 3,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Starling Bank and Worldpay, Inc. headquartered?
Starling Bank is headquartered in United Kingdom and Worldpay, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Starling Bank and Worldpay, Inc.?
Starling Bank was founded by Anne Boden. Worldpay, Inc. was founded by Nick Ogden.
Which company has a longer operating history — Starling Bank or Worldpay, Inc.?
Worldpay, Inc. has been operating for approximately 55 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Starling Bank has been in operation for around 12 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Starling Bank vs Worldpay overview