Mettle, the NatWest-backed digital account for UK small businesses, has appointed insider Michelle Prance as CEO.
Prance brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Mettle, having worked across retail, commercial and investment banking customer businesses in a variety of product, innovation and strategy roles.
She joined NatWest in 2021 after previous stints at Credit Suisse, ABN Amro, CMC Markets and Lloyds Banking Group.
Launched in 2018, the app-only banking service provides hard-pressed freelancers, sole traders and small businesses with a variety of easy-to-use accountancy, bookkeeping and tax-related tools to manage their business finances.
In 2023 Mettle launched its business bank account on the NatWest licence. It can now offer customers an FSCS-protected account with a host of new features, like an interest-bearing savings pot which launched in November 2023 and has already captured £100 million in customer cash.
Says Prance: “The self-employed have traditionally been underserved by banks, making it difficult for them to get set up quickly, get paid and be tax ready. By offering new features such as tax calculation and saving pots, Mettle has shown that banking doesn’t need to be complex.”
Prance succeeds NatWest veteran Andy Ellis, who took over the reins following the departure of Marieke Flament, at the end of 2021. Ellis has since been appointed as the CEO of NatWest Boxed, the new Banking-as-a Service joint venture with Vodeno and Warburg Pincus.