Why NatWest Put a Data Chief at the Top of the Bank

Banks love to say that data is their most valuable asset, but few give the person who runs it a seat near the top. NatWest just did.

The bank has named Triona O'Keeffe as its Chief Data and Analytics Officer, a role she takes up in January 2027.

She arrives from the London Stock Exchange Group, where she spent five years as Chief Information Officer for Data and Analytics, and before that more than three years as CIO for Shared Application Services at Deutsche Bank.

Data leaders with that background have become some of the most fought-over hires in the sector, as lenders race to build teams that can turn messy internal data into faster, cheaper decisions.

From IT project to operating model

For years, that work lived in the technology budget, a run of pilots and proofs of concept. Promoting that role to the top table turns it from a set of experiments into part of how the bank runs, and something now expected to earn its keep.

NatWest is putting new tools in front of staff in the areas where sheer volume drives cost, fraud prevention and complaints handling among them.

Its customer assistant, Cora, is the clearest case. Launched in 2017 as a simple chatbot, it now handles more than 12.9 million retail conversations a year, the kind of scale where small efficiencies compound into real money.

"I'm excited to join NatWest at such a pivotal time and help unlock the full potential of data, AI and engineering for customers," Triona says.

The bank wants Cora to give more personalised support and help customers manage their money, the sort of upgrade that only pays off if the data underneath it is clean, fast and well governed.

Where a Finance Chief should look

For a finance leader, the part to watch is governance. In June 2026 NatWest launched an internal accreditation in AI and data ethics, with e-learning on its AI ethics principles, a half-day workshop and practical guidance for staff weighing day-to-day risks. 

"As AI becomes increasingly embedded in how we serve customers and run our bank, it's important that we equip colleagues with the skills and confidence to use it responsibly," says Dr Paul Dongha, Head of Responsible AI and AI Strategy at NatWest.

The accreditation, Dr Dongha adds, gives staff "even more practical tools to recognise risks, ask the right questions and make better decisions in their day-to-day roles".

Put together, the hire and the guardrails show how banks now intend to treat data, as part of the operating model rather than a side project, judged on cost saved and risk contained as much as on ambition.

Every bank calls data its most valuable asset. NatWest has just decided who is accountable for the return on it.