LHV Bank appoints CEO

LHV Bank has appointed Damian Thompson as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. He will join the Bank on 4th January 2027, subject to regulatory approval. 

Thompson has more than 30 years of experience across UK banking, structured finance and financial services. After almost 2 decades in senior roles at NatWest Markets, he joined Starling Bank’s executive team, where he was responsible for lending and asset management as the bank scaled. Under his leadership, Starling’s loan assets grew to more than £5bn, largely across mortgages and SME lending. He also served as CEO of Fleet Mortgages, Starling’s buy-to-let lender. He later took responsibility for Starling’s SME banking products, retail overdrafts and loan products.

Until this year, Thompson also chaired UK Finance’s Specialist Banks Advisory Forum, which represents banks outside the UK’s big five.

Thompson brings more than 35 years of UK banking experience. After almost two decades in senior roles at NatWest Markets, he joined Starling Bank’s executive team in 2021, taking responsibility for growth of the lending book as the bank grew from a start-up into one of the UK’s leading digital banks. Under his leadership, Starling’s loan portfolio grew to more than £5 billion. In 2023, he also became Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Mortgages, Starling’s buy-to-let lender.

Mihkel Torim, Chairman of the Board of LHV Bank Limited, said “Damian knows banking, lending and technology. He combines the experience of one of the UK’s largest banks with the pace of Starling, where he led the growth of its lending as it became a major digital bank, and he shares the entrepreneurial spirit that defines LHV. Growing our local presence in the UK on a strong technology platform is at the core of our strategy, and Damian has the experience to lead it.”