Former senior executive at Royal Bank of Scotland joins board of Edinburgh's Commsworld

A former senior executive at Royal Bank of Scotland has joined the board of Commsworld, the Edinburgh-headquartered communications network provider.

John White, who becomes a non-executive director, worked for many years with computer giant IBM before spending six years with National Australia Bank, where he became global general manager of electronic banking.

He joined RBS in October 1999 as a key member of the banking major’s team planning for the transformational acquisition of NatWest. There he led the technology integration of NatWest Group, and the Ulster Bank Group within RBS.

White went on to become director of group technology at RBS, where he was involved in activities spanning the US, Europe and China. He was appointed executive vice president, manufacturing for RBS Americas, which had offices throughout the US as well as commercial banking locations in Canada.

John White becomes a non-executive director at Edinburgh-headquartered Commsworld.

After retiring from RBS in 2009, White formed JLB, a company specialising in advisory and consultancy services to large change programmes.

White said: “I have watched [Commsworld] with great interest during the Covid-19 pandemic as it has led from the front to meet the growing demands from business and the public sector for good connectivity and a resilient IT system.

“I stand ready to help Commsworld grow across the UK, and particularly south of the Border. The potential is there for the company to increase its reach and market share.”

Commsworld chairman John Trower said: “I not only speak for myself, but for the whole board, in saying that we are extremely happy to have a businessperson of the calibre of John White joining the company.

“His record and experience speaks for itself and we look forward with relish to gaining fresh insight into how we can continue to grow the company into a force to be reckoned with in the technology industry in the UK.”

Founded in 1994, Commsworld is the operator of the largest privately-owned network in the UK. As well as Edinburgh, it has offices in Glasgow and Aberdeen with more than 100 staff operating across public and private sector contracts. It recently reported one of the best quarters in its 27-year history after securing new multi-million-pound contracts.

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