Louis Taylor will take over the reins of the British Business Bank as its new CEO beginning on October 1, 2022. The Bank is the UK’s economic development bank. Taylor is currently CEO of UK Export Finance, the UK government’s export credit agency.
Before joining UK Export Finance, Taylor was in the financial services industry most recently with Standard Chartered Bank where he held positions as Chief Operating Officer for Group Treasury and also as CEO, Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia. Earlier in his career, Taylor worked at JP Morgan, Cookson Group plc and Invensys.
In September 2020, Catherine Lewis La Torre was appointed Interim CEO of the Bank. La Torre will continue in their post as Interim CEO through to Autumn.
Lord Smith of Kelvin, Chair of the British Business Bank, commented on the appointment:
“Louis is a highly respected, strategic leader, with more than 30 years’ banking and corporate finance experience and a strong track record of success. He has successfully led UK Export Finance for more than six years and has made a considerable contribution to the agency since he joined in 2015. I am delighted that he has agreed to take on the role of CEO and look forward to working with him as we support the UK’s economic recovery through the Bank’s debt and equity programmes, launch the Next Generation of Regional Funds, and also continue to address fraud and financial crime in relation to the Covid-19 loan schemes.”
Taylor said he is delighted to have the opportunity to lead the British Business Bank.
Lord Smith complimented Torre’s tenure at the Bank:
“I want to thank Catherine for the commitment and dedication she has given to the role of Interim CEO. She has led the British Business Bank through a period of unprecedented growth and public scrutiny over the past two years. I am working closely with Catherine to define her future role and am delighted that she intends to stay with the Bank.”
