The appointment further strengthens CivilisedBank’s Board ahead of the Bank’s expected launch in 2019.

Paul is an experienced business banking expert with a track record of more than 15 years of strategic leadership within both commercial and asset finance, with a particular focus on the SME market. A former Managing Director at RBS and Natwest where he was responsible for commercial banking in South England and South Wales, Paul has also held national responsibility across Asset Finance in the Business and Commercial SME space as Managing Director at Lombard.

He gained in-depth experience in the challenger bank space whilst Managing Director for Business and Commercial Banking at Secure Trust Bank. At RateSetter, he ran the Commercial Finance offering as Managing Director. CivilisedBank is building a digital SME bank which, when launched in 2019, will offer business customers access to experienced banking experts, finance solutions and effortless digital banking that make their business lives easier.

Mark Stephens, Chief Executive Officer, CivilisedBank said: “Paul has a wealth of experience within commercial banking and the SME market which is a crucial match for our business model. At CivilisedBank we are building a better bank that will offer business customers access to banking experts, finance solutions and effortless digital banking, and Paul’s expertise in providing solutions to SMEs will be invaluable as we move towards launch next year.”

Paul Marston, Non-Executive Director, CivilisedBank said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Board at CivilisedBank. The SME market continues to be underserved and in need of a more tailored approach. CivilisedBank is set to offer a proposition not currently being offered by the larger high street and online-only banks, making banking better for SMEs. I am really looking forward to bringing my experience to the Board and to helping bring this exciting offer to market.”

Focused on the UK SME market and funded by SME and retail savings, CivilisedBank will serve businesses through working capital solutions and cash management, including loans, asset finance, savings and payment services. CivilisedBank will also address the UK retail market with a range of savings products.