Coutts and Co Launches Private Banking Academy with Cranfield School of Management

Coutts & Co has today announced a newinitiative with Cranfield School of Management, launching the Coutts & Co Private Banking Academy.

During 2007 and 2008 more than 100 bankers from Coutts will take part in a series of programmes delivered by Cranfield’s Bettany Centre for Entrepreneurial Performance and Economics, headed by Professor Andrew Burke.

Coutts, which provides wealth management to 18,000 entrepreneurs throughout the UK, will focus its programme on entrepreneurship, where Cranfield has established itself as a leading European centre in the field, combining academic rigour with practical relevance and application. 

This new initiative will enable Coutts private bankers to draw on the expertise of Cranfield’s faculty who deliver programmes to hundreds of ambitious, fast-growth entrepreneurs every year.Private bankers will meet many prominent entrepreneurs associated with Cranfield, and gain insights into the stages of entrepreneurial business development and into what motivates successful business founders from start-up through growth to exit.

Nick Pollard, Coutts & Co Managing Director, Private Banking commented: “We are really excited about the launch of the new Private Banking Academy at Coutts. We wish to maintain our position as one of the UK’s leading private banks andsupporting the training of our people is fundamental to achieving this in an ever-changing market place.

“Our award-winning approach to market segmentation in the last few years has
established Coutts as the private bank of choice for successfulentrepreneurs, which is one of the most important and fastest growing areasof our business. With 18,000 entrepreneurs banking with Coutts, we believe this represents the largest network of successful businessmen and women in the UK.

“The programme with Cranfield will give our people exposure to Europe’s leading business school in supporting fast growth companies andinspirational entrepreneurs and will ensure that the advice we provide toclients remains relevant, informed and market leading.”

The programmes for private bankers are a key feature of Coutts’ new Private Banking Academy, a ground-breaking management development initiative that will help equip Coutts personnel for the challenges of 21^st century banking.

The initiative also builds on the existing relationship between Coutts and Cranfield. Cranfield’s David Molian, co-director of the Coutts programme, serves on the judging panel for the Coutts Family Business Prize and Coutts’ parent company, the Royal Bank of Scotland is a major client of the School’s Centre for Customised Executive Development. 

Bettany Centre Director, Professor Andrew Burke commented: “This is a great opportunity for both partners.  To be selected by an organisation of the calibre of Coutts is a fantastic accolade.We share a common interest and track record of working with the cream of Britain’s entrepreneurial talent.  We are very excited and looking forward to developing this relationship over the next year and beyond.”

Notes to Editors

For more information contact:

Ms Lee Smith Press Office, Cranfield School of Management,
Tel: 01234 754348, fax: 01234 754810 or e-mail: l.c.smith@cranfield.ac.uk

Claire Symonds, Coutts & Co on 020 7753 1171 or email claire.symonds@coutts.com

Cranfield School of Management is a world-class university business school, renowned for its strong links with industry and business. It is committed to providing practical management solutions through a range of activities including postgraduate degree programmes, management development, research and consultancy.  The School’s website address is: www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/.

About Coutts & Co

·Coutts is the international private banking arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which is one of the world's largest banking groups.

·Coutts manages the wealth of 100,000 high net worth clients worldwide through a network of over 40 offices globally.

·The first Coutts & Co regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. Today, Coutts has regional offices in Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Eton, Guildford, Hampshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Tunbridge Wells.

·Coutts & Co offers clients a range of products and services covering sophisticated investment products, together with expertise in trust and fiduciary services and UK tax and banking services. Coutts’ commercial banking arm also provides a full banking service to UK businesses.

·Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Coutts & Co is registered in England No 36695.Registered Office: 440 Strand, London WC2R 0QS.

·Calls may be recorded.

www.coutts.com/entrepreneurs