The chief executive officer of Starling, a digital bank backed by US banking giant Goldman Sachs, has announced that she will step down from her role next month. Anne Boden, who has been CEO of the startup since it was founded in 2014, has confirmed that she will be leaving the role after six years in charge. Starling’s board have reportedly said that Boden will be taking some “well-deserved rest” after her long tenure and that the company is “fully supported by a strong management team.”
The firm has not yet named a permanent replacement for Boden, but stated that Starling’s current Chief Operating Officer, Julian Sawyer, will act as interim CEO until the board can appoint a suitable successor. Boden said in a statement: “I am so proud of all that the Starling team has achieved in the last six years and am looking forward to the future with anticipation as I hand over the reins next month.”
After leading Starling through a number of successful funding rounds, Boden is widely credited with helping to pioneer the notion of digital banking for consumers in the UK and Europeans. Under her leadership, the firm has grown from an idea into one of the best-known names in digital banking, with 1.9 million customers across the UK and Europe and a valuation of £1.1 billion.