Vanquis Banking Group chief executive Ian McLaughlin will step down by the end of 2026, for personal reasons, the UK specialist lender said.
John Natalizia, currently deputy chief executive and chief executive of financial-management platform Snoop, is expected to become interim CEO when McLaughlin leaves, subject to regulatory approval. Vanquis said McLaughlin was stepping down for personal reasons. The board will conduct both an internal and external search for a permanent successor.
Natalizia will attend board meetings during the transition period and work alongside McLaughlin to ensure an orderly handover.
Natalizia joined Vanquis following its acquisition of Snoop in 2023 and later became deputy CEO. He currently has executive responsibility for the group’s product offerings and technology and change delivery, including the Gateway transformation programme. He has more than 25 years of banking experience, including commercial, digital, operational and transformation roles at Virgin Money and MBNA, before co-founding Snoop.
TRANSFORMATION ENTERS LEADERSHIP TRANSITION
Chairman Sir Peter Estlin thanked McLaughlin for his “significant contribution to the turnaround of Vanquis”, saying that under his leadership the group “has undertaken a significant transformation and returned to profitability”.
Estlin said the board had confidence in the strategy and the management team under the leadership of Natalizia and chief financial officer Dave Watts.
Vanquis acquired Snoop in July 2023, and Natalizia was appointed deputy CEO in April 2026.
WHY IT MATTERS
McLaughlin said the group was “now much better positioned to deliver on the trajectory we have set out for shareholders”.
The board will run an internal and external executive search to identify a permanent successor.
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