Metro Bank, the revolution in British retail and business banking, is pleased to announce the appointment of Howard Leigh, The Lord Leigh of Hurley, to its advisory board.
The advisory board allows Metro Bank’s executive team unprecedented access to, and advice from, a group of visionary thinkers, industry experts and market disruptors, who are all leaders in their respective fields.
Lord Leigh, a member of the House of Lords, is the founder of, and Senior Partner at, Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP. Cavendish is the UK’s leading specialist sell-side adviser to owners of mid-market businesses. Lord Leigh has had a long and distinguished career in finance, including positions at: Deloitte, the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Deregulation Task Force (1994 -1997), the board of the Bolton Building Society and was also Chairman of the Faculty of Corporate Finance of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He joins the advisory board with immediate effect.
Commenting on the appointment, Metro Bank Chairman and Founder, Vernon Hill said: “Howard brings a wealth of experience to our advisory board, not only in finance, but politics, the charity sector and international trade. He complements the existing membership extremely well and I know he’s going to prove to be invaluable to the executive team at Metro Bank. I’m looking forward to the challenge, debate and insight he’s going to bring to the table.”
Lord Leigh added: “I am delighted to join the advisory board of Metro Bank. I have watched the bank’s tremendous growth and always admired its particular assistance to the UK SME business community. Accordingly, I hope to contribute to Metro’s continued success given my 30 year experience of working in this sector, mainly with entrepreneurs.”
The full advisory board comprises:
- Vernon Hill, Chairman and Founder Metro Bank – Hill previously founded Commerce Bank in Philadelphia in 1973 which he built into a 500 store bank before selling it to TD Bank for $8.5 billion in 2007
- Craig Donaldson, CEO Metro Bank – Donaldson is responsible for providing executive leadership to the bank’s rapidly expanding business. His prior roles include, Managing Director of Retail Products & Direct Channels at RBS, as well as senior roles with Barclays and HBOS. He has a degree in Technology and Management from the University of Bradford.
- Mary Ricks, President and CEO, Kennedy Wilson Europe – Ricks helped the firm acquire real estate and real estate loans in Europe totalling a value of £2.2 billion.
- Rachael Robathan, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health, Westminster City Council – formerly an investment manager at Pictet & Cie, AIB Govett and INVESCO.
- Jamie Reuben, Principal Reuben Brothers and managing partner, Melbury Capital – Reuben is a founding shareholder of Metro Bank and recently served as chairman for London Mayor Boris Johnson’s successful re-election campaign in 2012.
- Andrew B. Cohen, Co-Founder and MD, Cohen Private Ventures – Cohen is a founding investor of Metro Bank and has a wealth of experience in investment, previously working at S.A.C Capital Advisors, Dune Capital Management and Morgan Stanley Real Estate.
- Harrison LeFrak, Vice Chairman LeFrak Property – LeFrak is a founding investor of Metro Bank and works in real estate, the exploration of energy and investments in securities.
- John Roddan, Founder JMS Realty – Roddan has a wealth of experience analysing and managing equity portfolios, previously working at NatWest Markets and Moore Capital Management.
- Amit Bhatia, Amit Bhatia, Executive Chairman Hope Construction Materials, managing partner Swordfish investments; Vice Chairman Queens Park Rangers – Bhatia chairs the largest independent building materials company in the UK, and sits on a number of boards including Air Asia and Cornell university.
- Jeff Dishner, Senior Management Director, Starwood Capital Group – Dishner oversees Starwood Capital’s global acquisitions and previously worked at JP Morgan and JMB Realty.
- Tom Smith, Founder, Prescott Investors – Smith founded Prescott Investors in 1973, an American private investment firm.
- Denzyl Feigelson, Advisor to Apple – Feigelson played a pivotal role in getting unsigned musicians online before advising Apple on its iTunes platform.
- Jacopo Pessina, Director, M&A, Walgreens Boots Alliance – Pessina is also co-founder of Health Innovation Platform and previously worked in global wealth management and investment banking at Merrill Lynch. He is also a founding member of the Erasmus Student Network.
- Rohan Silva, former Entrepreneur in Residence at Index Ventures, former Senior Policy Adviser at No.10 Downing Street for the Office of David Cameron / George Osborne, working across all areas of Government policy. He is now the current Co-founder at Second Home.