Ex-NatWest boss who quit in Nigel Farage bank account row to get £2.4m payout
Nigel Farage called the potential payment to Dame Alison Rose a ‘sick joke’
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Your support makes all the difference.The former NatWest chief executive Dame Alison Rose is set to receive a £2.4m pay package despite resigning last month after she admitted to leaking private banking information about Nigel Farage.
Ms Rose had led the company for four years as CEO but announced she would be stepping down on 25 July.
This followed a row over the closure of former Ukip leader Mr Farage’s account with Coutts, the private bank run by NatWest.
She resigned after admitting to being the source behind an inaccurate story about Mr Farage’s finances following a discussion with a BBC journalist.
Ms Rose is currently serving her 12-month notice period with the banking group. The company has said it will continue to review her planned pay and bonus payouts in relation to the ongoing investigation into her actions.
On Wednesday, the firm said it will pay her £1.15m in salary for the year, £1.15m in NatWest shares – which she will receive over a five-year period – and £115,566 in pension payments.
The pay deal totals around £2.4m.
In a video in response, Mr Farage said: “When I heard the news I thought it was perhaps a sick joke.
“Surely, you cannot breach client confidentiality, you can’t break virtually every important rule in the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) code book and can’t then lie about it after you have briefed the BBC, and still receive a £2.43m payout.
“Yet, that is exactly what has happened to Alison Rose.”
In a statement, the firm added: “Ms Rose’s notice period and the payments she will continue to receive for the notice period will be reviewed on a continuing basis, having regard to the internal and external investigations relating to the account closure arrangements at Coutts and associated events.
“Decisions on these awards, along with any decisions regarding other remuneration matters, will be made taking into account the findings of the investigations, as appropriate.”
It added that policies allowing the company to potentially “claw back” bonus payments will apply to the former boss.
Paul Thwaite, who is replacing Ms Rose at the helm of the company for the next year, will receive a slightly smaller salary.
NatWest revealed that he is due to receive a fixed salary of £1.05m for the year, and a further £10.5m in NatWest shares, which he will receive over a five-year period.
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