NatWest appoints Adeel Hyder as MD of Business Banking

NatWest Group has appointed Adeel Hyder as its new Managing Director of Business Banking, as the bank looks to strengthen support for small and micro businesses across the UK.

Hyder will join the bank on 1 June 2026 from Starling Bank and will lead NatWest’s strategy to expand services and digital tools for small businesses. He will report to Robert Begbie, CEO of NatWest’s Commercial & Institutional division, and will join the division’s Executive Committee.

An experienced banking leader, Hyder brings a background spanning consulting and retail banking, having previously held roles at McKinsey & Company and TSB Bank before joining Starling. At the digital challenger bank, he helped build and scale its business banking offering, gaining extensive experience in digital transformation and SME-focused financial services.

Begbie said Hyder’s experience across both challenger and established banks would help accelerate NatWest’s plans to enhance its services for small firms.

“Adeel brings deep commercial experience across both challenger and established banks, and a strong track record of building solutions to the challenges small businesses face,” Begbie said. “He will be an excellent addition to our leadership team, helping us accelerate our plans to strengthen support for start-ups and deliver improved digital journeys for small business customers across the UK.”

Hyder said he was looking forward to leading the bank’s business banking division at a key moment for UK entrepreneurship.

“I’m delighted to join NatWest and excited to lead its Business Banking business at such a pivotal moment,” Hyder said. “Small business entrepreneurs are the fundamental drivers and barometer of the health of the UK economy, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the bank to ensure entrepreneurs can focus on doing what they love while we save them time and help them stay in control of their finances through our solutions.”