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Feature Article | Dame Alison Rose’s commercial masterclass: Delivering value during NatWest’s crisis-era transformation

  • Lindsey Schlandt
  • Jan 9
  • 1 min read
Gouache-style illustration of a professional panel presentation. Three diverse speakers—one white-haired woman in a navy suit, one Black woman in a rust-red blazer at the podium, and one man in a light blue shirt—stand before a seated audience. Behind them is a whiteboard with colorful charts and flow diagrams, suggesting data-driven discussion. Potted plants flank the stage, softening the corporate setting. The atmosphere is warm and collaborative, with textured brushstrokes and a soft color palette of muted blues, creams, and earthy tones, evoking thoughtful engagement and inclusive leadership.

When Dame Alison Rose took over NatWest in 2019, the bank was underperforming, still majority government-owned, and heading into a once-in-a-generation shock to the sector’s revenue model. Rose responded with a customer-led commercial turnaround that broke down internal silos, paired $3 billion of targeted investment with $2 billion in cost out, and rebuilt operational performance from the ground up. The result was a reset in customer satisfaction, brand momentum with younger and entrepreneurial segments, and a return profile that moved NatWest from value erosion to sustained shareholder returns.


 
 

© 2035 Dame Alison Rose. 

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