UK challenger Atom hires Andy Sturrock as CTO

UK challenger bank Atom has appointed Andy Sturrock as its new chief technology officer (CTO).

Atom Bank CTO Andy Sturrock

Sturrock, who joins from BP, where he led the company’s digital consumer channels and offers teams, will head up Atom’s cloud banking platform.

He will be tasked with upgrading the neobank’s core banking platform, enhancing Atom’s ability to develop and deliver new products such across savings, mortgages and business banking.

Also on the agenda is improving Atom’s automation capabilities, both for customers and the technology team within Atom.

Atom Bank’s new CTO says: “I’m looking forward to developing Atom’s technology and taking it to the next level, putting automation and data at the core of our systems and building new products and services at speed to support customers even more effectively.”

Sturrock’s time at BP saw him introduce a range of new methodologies and technologies, including Agile, DevOps and the cloud, first within the company’s trading business and then rolling them out across the entire company.

Prior to BP, Sturrock had a stint at Bank of America, heading up the global markets and research technology, and global payments and international branch technology divisions.

“As the UK faces a significant squeeze in the cost of living, our highly efficient digital banking machine can help our customers make the most of their savings, while keeping borrowing costs to a minimum,” says Atom CEO Mark Mullen.

In February, the UK’s first app-based bank raised more than £75 million in new equity priced at 70p per share.