Sweden-based bank Handelsbanken has appointed Kevin Hulse as its first Corporate Manager – Business Development for Edinburgh.
This is a first for the 150-year-old bank, which has had a presence in Edinburgh since 2009.
Born and bred in the capital, 43-year-old Hulse steps into the newly-created position after two years with the
bank as a corporate manager, based at its Edinburgh East branch at Waterloo Place.
The strategic appointment sees Hulse take on responsibility for driving the bank’s growth across the city with his remit also covering the Edinburgh West End branch at Haymarket.
Hulse brings more than 20 years of experience in the banking sector, having joined Handelsbanken after four years with Aldermore Bank, where he was the senior lending manager for Scotland.
Prior to joining Aldermore, he had spent 16 years with Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group.
Edinburgh West End branch manager Iain Henderson said: “This represents a step-change for the bank in
Edinburgh and supports our growth strategy both in the city and UK as a whole …
“We tailor our services to meet customers’ needs whether that be mortgages and deposits on the private banking side or deposit, lending, cards and BACS facilities on the corporate side.
“As Kevin’s focus is now business development for the whole bank offering, both private and corporate, this will be his responsibility.
“Previously, anyone employed on the corporate side has worked with a portfolio as well as focusing on
business development.
“The big change for Kevin is he will not have a portfolio, will be more market facing and that will allow Handelsbanken Edinburgh to become more proactive with Kevin covering the entire city in the new role.”
Handelsbanken now has nine branches in Scotland and north Cumbria as part of a 150-plus network it has grown since opening in the UK in 1982.
Hulse said: “It’s great to be part of a bank which has a good reputation for doing the right thing. My aim is to enhance that reputation in this new role.
“There is no bonus structure here, we are all salaried employees and doing the right thing for the customer is what drives us, and I really like that.
“There is no incentive for us to do anything that is not 100 per cent right for the customer and the bank. It’s very much a two-way arrangement and we have to be right for each other as we build long-term partnerships.
“Having the Edinburgh-wide remit is really exciting as it’s a unique role for the bank.
“This is going to be a pivotal role in growing the bank. We have previously relied on organic growth and word of mouth recommendations.
“They will always be our bread and butter but we are now being more proactive about our proposition and what we actually do and it’s exciting to be part of the Handelsbanken story in Scotland’s capital city.”