(Alliance News) - Rick Haythornthwaite, former chair of British Gas-owner Centrica PLC, will succeed Howard Davies as chair of NatWest Group PLC, Sky News reported on Wednesday.

Citing "City sources", Sky News said Haythornthwaite is being lined up as the new chair of the state-supported lender in the wake of the row over the de-banking of UK politician Nigel Farage.

Sky News said an official announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

https://news.sky.com/story/haythornthwaite-lined-up-to-replace-davies-as-natwest-chairman-12955949

Haythornthwaite is currently chair of Ocado Group PLC and was previously chair of Centrica and Network Rail Ltd.

In July, NatWest appointed a new chief executive officer, Paul Thwaite, replacing Alison Rose who admitted she had made a "serious error of judgment" when she discussed Farage's relationship with private bank Coutts, owned by NatWest Group, with a BBC journalist.

By Heather Rydings, Alliance News senior economics reporter

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