NatWest CEO Dame Alison Rose has resigned after admitting she gave private bank information about presenter Nigel Farage to the BBC.
Dame Alison quit after Downing Street said there were “significant concerns” she planned to stay at the helm.
Howard Davies, chairman of the NatWest Group board, said in a statement:
“The board and Alison Rose have agreed, by mutual consent, that she will step down as CEO of the NatWest Group.
“It is a sad moment.
“She has dedicated all her working life so far to NatWest and will leave many colleagues who respect and admire her.”
Dame Alison said: “I remain immensely proud of the progress the bank has made in supporting people, families and businesses across the UK, and building the foundations for sustainable growth.
“My NatWest colleagues are central to that success, and so I would like to personally thank them for all that they have done.”
Senior Conservative MPs and City chiefs demanded Dame Alison resign or be fired from her job.
The NatWest is 39 per cent owned by the taxpayer.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, said earlier:
“She has to go.
“She has admitted it and she has to go.
“She has broken one of the fundamental codes of banking and therefore she must go.”
A City chief executive earlier in the day said:
“She has broken the cardinal rule of banking.
“An FCA investigation is inevitable now.
“Her position is untenable and she should resign.
“It’s ridiculous the board is backing her given the seriousness of the offence.”
A statement from the board on Wednesday confirmed Paul Thwaite, the current chief executive of the company’s Commercial and Institutional business, would take over.
Dame Alison’s resignation comes after her dinner table conversation about closing Mr Farage’s bank account because of his political views.
Dame Alison admitted she was the source of the story run by the BBC
