Fast-expanding digital bank Starling is creating a further 150 jobs in Cardiff, which will take its workforce in the city to 1,200. The fintech venture, which now has three million customers in the UK and is likely to float on the London Stock Exchange over the next two years, originally committed to creating 400 jobs when unveiling its office investment in the city– at Brunel House– back in 2020.
It is creating mainly operational roles including those in customer service, customer acquisition, operations support, collections and financial crime. It is also looking to appoint tech engineers and data scientists. Starting salaries in operations are £24,500.
Head of talent acquisition at Starling Bank, Charlotte Richards, said: “Starling Bank has ambitious growth plans and we need outstanding talent to make that happen. We passed three million current accounts in June this year. This includes more than 460,000 small business accounts.
"Whilst the market for recruitment is challenging we continue to attract a talented workforce across all of our roles in Cardiff, which is a dynamic and entrepreneurial city with a rich talent pool. Our office here is important to our growth as we benefit directly from the capital’s outstanding universities and fintech expertise.”
Alongside its retail banking activities, Starling has also significantly grown its share of the UK’s SME banking market, which now stands at around 7.5%.
The professional and financial service sector is one of the fastest growing in the Welsh economy, with a workforce of around 155,000. In another boost to Cardiff’s fintech sector digital bank Tandem Digital is creating 100 new jobs. The challenger bank currently employs 70 in the city where it has had a presence since its acquisition of Allium Money in 2020.
Tandem said its expanded Cardiff operation will serve as a base for its motor finance business and a centre of excellence for its wider lending operations. It is current located in serviced offices on Cathedral Road. However, it is committed to moving to large offices, around 13,000 sq ft, in the city centre at a yet to be disclosed location.
Earlier this year Starling, founded by its Swansea-born chief executive Anne Boden, reported its first ever pre-tax profit with £32.1m for the financial year ending 31 March 2022.
Revenues for the year grew to £188m, up 90%, as it built on its the mortgage capability it gained through the acquisition of Fleet Mortgages in July last year, with more than £2bn of mortgages now on the balance sheet as at June 2022.
Starling, which employs more than 2,000, also has offices in London, Southampton and Dublin.
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