Vanquis Banking Group has named John Natalizia as its chief executive, the company said in a statement dated London, 11 November 2026. The appointment is subject to regulatory approval, and Natalizia joins the Board with immediate effect.
His predecessor, Ian McLaughlin, has now left the business and stepped down from the Board, effective 10 November 2026, the company said. The Board led a comprehensive and rigorous executive search, which followed the announcement on 11 September 2026 of McLaughlin's intention to step down as CEO.
AN INSIDER STEPS UP
The September announcement said McLaughlin had told the Board he intended to step down for personal reasons by no later than the end of the year. Natalizia, then Deputy CEO and CEO of Snoop, was to become interim chief executive when McLaughlin left, subject to regulatory approval, while the Board ran an internal and external search for a successor.
Natalizia joined Vanquis in July 2023, following the acquisition of the fintech uSnoop Limited (Snoop), which he co-founded, and has sat on the Group Executive Committee since then. He was appointed Deputy CEO in April 2026, with executive responsibility for the group's product offerings and for technology and change delivery, which includes the Gateway transformation programme.
He has over 25 years of banking experience, including senior commercial, digital, operational and transformation roles at Virgin Money and MBNA, according to the company. At Virgin Money he was responsible for the build, migration and successful launch of its credit card business, and at MBNA he led the strategic transformation of its credit card division.
The September announcement said that under McLaughlin's leadership the group had undertaken a significant transformation and returned to profitability with a much clearer pathway to delivering attractive and sustainable returns for shareholders.
WHAT THE CHAIRMAN AND THE NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID
"John brings extensive experience to the role, together with a deep understanding of Vanquis and the customers we serve," said Sir Peter Estlin, the Group Chairman. Vanquis has undergone substantial change in recent years, including the modernisation of its technology and operating capabilities, the company said, adding that the Board believes Natalizia has the required experience, commercial focus and understanding of the business needed to lead Vanquis in its next phase, with a clear focus on disciplined execution and delivering shareholder value.
Natalizia, who said it was a privilege to be asked by the Board to take on the role, said he knows the business well and believes strongly in its role serving customers whose needs are not always well met by mainstream providers. "My priority is firmly on execution, with a clear emphasis on serving our customers responsibly, particularly as they navigate the current cost-of-living pressures on household finances," he said, adding that he would focus on improving efficiency and turning growth and investment into attractive, sustainable returns.
THE TGB VIEW
Natalizia inherits a lender that reported statutory profit before tax from continuing operations of £8.9m in the first half and gross customer interest-earning balances of £3,054m, and the guidance it gave on 30 July 2026: the company said it expected a low single digit return on tangible equity in 2026, a low double digit return in 2027 and a mid-teens return in 2028. The nearest tests come quickly: the group said in July that the build of Gateway, the programme he already oversaw as Deputy CEO, remained on track for completion in 2026, and that the Board intends to re-establish a modest dividend with full year 2026 results. Those dates, rather than the change at the top, are the yardstick for his first year in a United Kingdom market where, according to TGB's market profile, the PRA regulated 146 UK-incorporated banks at 1 November 2026.
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