Lloyds, NatWest & LVMH: 5 Top Finance Stories of the Week

Lloyds Bank Urges UK Investment for Sustainable Future

Lloyds Bank has called for action after a report revealed that there is a gap of £11bn between the UK’s current levels of investment and what it would need to be well-prepared in the face of the growing climate crisis. 

The research, originally published by the Climate Change Committee, says the UK faces an annual funding deficit of roughly £11bn (US$14.5bn) to prepare its core systems for intense heat, flash flooding and drought.

Lloyds Banking Group has released a report titled ‘Built to Last: Climate Resilient Infrastructure Needs Transformative Investment’, which sets out recommendations of financing models for a more sustainable future.

Speaking to Finance Chief exclusively, Andrew Walton, Chief Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group notes: “Adopting a national security mindset to safeguard our critical infrastructure is about more than managing risk. Investing in resilience is also an opportunity to transition to better-adapted, more prosperous economies.

“Resilience can protect asset value, maintain insurability and enhance returns, which is essential for creating the confidence businesses need to invest, improve productivity and strengthen competitiveness. 

“What's more, resilient infrastructure can also create wide-ranging benefits for society, the economy and nature.”

Lloyds Bank climate projects and partners:

Water distribution: In North West England, the £3bn (US$3.98bn) Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme is replacing vital supply lines for 2.5 million residents. The deal marks the first transaction under Ofwat’s Direct Procurement for Customers framework, blending National Wealth Fund credit enhancements with £120m (US$159m) in debt financing from Scottish Widows – a subsidiary of Lloyds. The upgrade carries an intended design life of 120 years.

Renewable generation: The Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent incorporates physical flood protection – such as elevated panel mounting and fortified sea walls – directly into its operational spec. Lloyds teamed up with NatWest to underwrite £238.5m (US$316m) in project debt, embedding physical climate risk standards into the loan covenants.

University real estate: A national facility between Lloyds and the National Wealth Fund pairs up to £500m (US$662.5m) in bank lending alongside £350m (US$436.7m) in public guarantees. The fund targets upgrades across 300 higher education buildings, creating up to 4,000 skilled jobs and cutting 2.8 million tonnes of emissions.

NatWest Deepens Venture Capital ties as LP to Phoenix Court

NatWest, which serves 20 million customers,  has announced its investment as a limited partner (LP) to independently-managed Phoenix Court. 

The VC firm, based in London, channels funds into high-growth innovation-led companies, from seed to scale-up.

The announcement marks the first investment by NatWest bank as an LP into an independently-managed VC fund since the bank announced its Venture Banking arm in April earlier in the year. 

Emphasising the benefits for the growth of the UK economy, Paul Thwaite, CEO of NatWest Group, says: “Too often, promising British businesses look overseas for the capital and support they need to reach the next stage. 

“If Britain wants to compete for the industries and jobs of the future, we need to get better at backing our most promising companies with the capital, connections and confidence to scale here in the UK. 

“We want to be a long-term partner to the founders, investors and businesses building the UK’s next generation of category defining companies. 

“That means not only providing banking services, but helping bring together the capital, expertise and networks that innovative businesses need to grow. Banks can be part of the solution. 

“Our investment in Phoenix Court is a good example of how NatWest can use its scale, capital and convening power to strengthen the UK’s innovation ecosystem and help exceptional companies start, scale and stay here in the UK.”

Top 10: Budgeting Tools

From Workday and Anaplan to Pigment and OneStream, discover the top budgeting tools powering the office of the CFO, as ranked by Finance Chief.

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of any finance leader’s arsenal. What most CFOs are best known for, budgeting accounts for how tight the company purse strings remain. 

This listicle ranks the top 10 budgeting tools used by global CFOs for increased financial planning accountability and financial discipline. 

Find out which one we’ve ranked as number one below. 

LVMH Names Tristan Monchablon as CFO, Americas

LVMH has named Tristan Monchablon as its new Chief Financial Officer, Americas, effective 1 January 2027.

Tristan will be based in New York and will report to Cécile Cabanis, Chief Financial Officer of the LVMH Group.

As CFO, Americas, he will lead the region’s Finance organisation and support its financial and strategic priorities.

In his new role, he will partner closely with the North America leadership team and finance leaders across all of LVMH’s segments. His responsibilities will span Accounting, Financial Planning and Analysis, Tax, Treasury, Risk and Procurement.

Tristan will also serve as a key connection between the Americas region and LVMH’s head office.

Databricks Acquires Row Zero for AI Platform Integration

Row Zero, a Seattle-based software startup that built systems for enterprise datasets, has been acquired by Databricks as part of its agentic AI strategy.

Databricks plans to integrate Row Zero into its platform and its Genie AI assistant, allowing non-technical teams access to a familiar grid interface to analyse datasets without leaving their data environment.

Discussing the acquisition, Breck Fresen, CEO of Row Zero, says the startup’s standalone product will remain available to existing users, while the wider team focuses on embedding its technology into the Databricks platform.

“What is changing is the speed at which we’ll be able to put Row Zero in the hands of customers,” Breck says, highlighting Databricks’s global customer base of 20,000 organisations worldwide, including 70% of the Fortune 500.