A new British bank is bringing 350 jobs to Charlotte. It’s already actively hiring.
A new U.K.-based bank is opening an office in uptown and bringing 350 jobs to Charlotte.
The Bank of London has opened its second North American office at the One Independence Center on North Tryon Street, bank officials told The Charlotte Observer exclusively. The office will house the bank’s U.S. global platform and services division.
Jobs will include software development, engineering and operations roles.
“We made the decision to build out in Charlotte pretty much immediately (after launching the company last year),” chief executive and founder Anthony Watson told the Observer. “I’ve worked all around the world. In my experience, the best banking talent is found in Charlotte.”
The bank did not disclose how much money it was investing in its Charlotte expansion. In a news release, the bank called it a “multimillion dollar” move. The jobs will be created by 2026, according to the release.
Why move to Charlotte?
Charlotte’s talent pool, as well as its reputation as one of the country’s largest financial centers, helped draw the Bank of London to the city, Watson said.
It also helped that he spent several years early in his own career working here for Wells Fargo predecessor Wachovia. “Charlotte has a special place in my heart,” Watson added.
The bank’s first U.S. office in New York City will serve as its North American headquarters, but The Bank of London’s largest employment base this side of the pond will be in Charlotte.
The Charlotte office recently opened, and the bank is actively hiring to fill positions, Watson said. His team has already hired 14 Charlotte-based employees.
“We’re moving very quickly,” he said.
About the Bank of London
The Bank of London was founded in November 2021 and operates as a clearing bank — meaning it can clear payments and checks that it did not issue.
The bank is not a lending institution, Watson said, but focuses on global transaction banking and clearing for clients like governments, financial services firms and other banks. It’s not connected to the Bank of England, which is the country’s central bank.
In addition to London, New York and Charlotte, the bank has offices in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The Charlotte office is open in a temporary space at 101 N. Tryon, Watson said, while it upfits a 40,000 square foot permanent space in the building. The bank has signed an 11-year lease in the building.
The local location is a “tech-focused office,” Watson said, that will also house business operations roles.
