Reuters CIO joins Royal Bank of Scotland

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has hired Reuters CIO David Lister to help simplify and drive down tech costs.

RBS does not use the CIO title for executives and Lister will join as chief architect, reporting in to the bank's group manufacturing unit, which provides centralised back-office services such as IT for other RBS banking and insurance brands including Churchill, Direct Line and NatWest.

The role will not be replacing Stephen Brannan, who is currently director of group technology at RBS.

It is understood Lister's role will be to consolidate, streamline and cut the cost of the back-office IT services provided to the RBS group by the manufacturing unit.

The Edinburgh-born Lister, named one of the UK's top CIOs last year, has been at Reuters driving the company's 'Fast Forward' transformation programme, putting in place a global platform and cutting tech costs.

Prior to that, Lister was at Boots, where he overhauled the health and beauty retailer's IT strategy with a £300m modernisation programme and major outsourcing deal with IBM.

His earlier career includes stints at Glaxo Wellcome - before the pharmaceutical giant's merger with SmithKline Beecham - Guinness and a spell in management consultancy at Coopers and Lybrand.

RBS declined to comment on Lister's new role, which he is expected to take up next month. Reuters had no comment as to Lister's successor.