Gilbert ‘to be chairman of digital bank Revolut’

Martin Gilbert

UK digital bank Revolut is keen to appoint Standard Life Aberdeen vice chairman Martin Gilbert as its new chairman to win over investors ahead of an upcoming fundraising, according to a report in the Financial Times.

Gilbert is also chairman Aberdeen Standard Investments, senior independent director at natural resources group Glencore, and a member of the advisory board of Tennor Holding, the holding company of controversial German entrepreneur Lars Windhorst.

The report said Gilbert has been informally advising Revolut’s chief executive for several months and the digital bank is “close to appointing” Gilbert as chairman.

Revolut now has close to six million customers, a full banking licence in the eurozone, and is expanding into new businesses such as share trading, the report said.

Revolut was valued at $1.7 billion in a fundraising last year, and is hoping to secure investment of up to $500 million in the coming months.

Gilbert, 64, led Aberdeen Asset Management for 34 years until its merger with Standard Life in 2017.

He initially served as co-chief executive of Standard Life Aberdeen.

Revolut, Standard Life Aberdeen, Glencore and Gilbert declined to comment.