Case Study: Building a Finance and Governance Function from the Ground Up

Client: Atom Bank

Sector: Financial Services | FinTech | Regulated Start-up

​Overview

Atom Bank partnered with NRG at a critical stage in its journey to become the UK’s first digital-only bank.

With no brand visibility, no internal recruitment capability, and without a banking licence in place, Atom needed a trusted partner to deliver senior and specialist hires into regulated functions. The focus was on building a strong foundation across finance, risk, compliance, and governance while supporting rapid growth and regulatory milestones.

Over an 18-month period, NRG supported Atom Bank in designing and delivering a full talent solution that shaped their leadership structure, governance infrastructure, and long-term recruitment strategy.

​The Challenge

Atom Bank needed to:

  • Attract high-calibre talent into a new and unknown brand

  • Hire senior and specialist professionals in a location outside of traditional financial services hubs

  • Build critical functions required for banking licence approval and post-launch operations

  • Support the relocation of key senior hires and their families to the North East

  • Establish sustainable internal recruitment capability for future growth

​Our Approach

NRG deployed a dedicated Finance and Governance Talent Team to deliver:

  • Full project management across permanent, interim, and technical contract hiring

  • Executive search for board-level and senior appointments

  • A bespoke dual-branded attraction campaign with a dedicated careers site

  • Consultation on creating role profiles aligned with Atom’s values and regulatory obligations

  • End-to-end onboarding and relocation support for strategic hires

​Key Appointments Delivered

Executive and Senior Leadership:

  • Chief Risk Officer

  • Chief Audit Officer

  • Head of Compliance

  • Head of Financial Crime

  • Head of Operational Risk

  • Head of Service Delivery

  • Head of Human Resources

  • Head of Customer Propositions

  • Functional and Delivery Teams:

  • Internal Auditors and Risk Analysts

  • Financial Planning and Reporting Managers

  • Systems Testing and Solutions Leads

  • Mortgage Underwriters

  • Data and Insight Analysts

  • Business Banking Executives

  • Project and Change Managers ​

The Outcome

Within 18 months, NRG delivered:

•Over 150 permanent hires and 20 technical contractors

•A full build-out of Atom’s finance, risk, and governance teams

•Support for a successful banking licence application

•Development of a long-term internal recruitment model to support scale

"Atom selected NRG as their resourcing partner due to the credibility and capability of the team. They understood the complexity of regulated hiring and brought a level of project management and professionalism that reflected our values and vision."

– Chief Operating Officer, Atom Bank

What This Means for You

If you are building or transforming finance and governance functions within a regulated or high-growth environment, NRG has the experience to deliver. We understand the demands of scaling at pace while ensuring every hire meets both regulatory and cultural expectations.

From your first CFO to a fully operational governance structure, we help you recruit with confidence and clarity.

Book a Free Consultation

Whether you're strengthening your leadership team, preparing for regulatory milestones, or building a finance and governance function from the ground up, we’re here to help.

Speak to one of our finance and governance recruitment specialists to explore how NRG can support your growth plans with talent solutions tailored to your business.

No pressure. No jargon. Just expert insight.

​

​