NatWest CEO Paul Thwaite said the banking group will explore “strategically congruent” and “financially compelling” M&A deal opportunities in 2025 after a number of investments this year, Reuters reported.
Although describing the bank as “on the front foot” when it comes to acquisitions, Thwaite said investors should not expect any changes in NatWest’s international perimeter, Reuters reported.
The UK government-backed lender, formerly called Royal Bank of Scotland, is looking forward to becoming fully privatised as early as the first half of 2025.
Speaking at the FT Global Banking Summit, Thwaite said: “It is reasonable to expect that absent some big dislocation or economic event we’ll be back in private ownership next year, maybe as early as the first half of the year.”
The UK government has cut its stake in the NatWest to less than 11%, down from 38% a year ago. The UK taxpayer has owned a stake in NatWest since its £46 billion bailout of the bank during the global financial crisis.
“I think it will be a symbolic moment for the sector,” said Thwaite. “It means we can talk about the future of the bank, the potential of the bank rather than having to talk about its past.”
Under Thwaite, NatWest bought the bulk of Sainsbury’s Bank and £2.5 billion of prime residential mortgages from Metro Bank.
“The two transactions we’ve done this year have shown that we’re on the front foot and where we see interesting opportunities that deliver good financials, good strategic fit, then we’ll take them,” he said.