Danske Bank (Northern Ireland)
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| Danske Bank | |
| Company type | Private limited company |
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | Belfast, Ireland, UK (1824) |
| Fate | Became Danske Bank |
| Headquarters | Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK |
Area served | Northern Ireland, UK |
Key people | Thomas F. Borgen (Chairman) Gerry Mallon (Chief executive) |
| Products | Banking |
| Parent | Danske Bank A/S |
| Website | www.danskebank.co.uk |
Northern Bank Ltd, trading as Danske Bank, is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. It is one of the oldest banks in Ireland having been formed in 1809, and formed part of one of the Big Four banks in Ireland.[1] The bank became Danske Bank in November 2012 after its parent company decided to brand itself in Northern Ireland. The bank is considered one of the leading retail banks in Northern Ireland with 82 branches and four finance centres.[2] Northern Bank is one of the four commercial banks in Northern Ireland which are permitted to issue their own banknotes.
History
The company was founded in Belfast in 1809 as the Northern Banking Partnership. The bank expanded across Ireland, opening its first branch in the south in 1840.[3]
In 1970, the Northern Banking Company Limited amalgamated with the Belfast Banking Company Limited to form what is now known as Northern Bank Limited.
Until 1988, the bank was a subsidiary of the Midland Bank, sharing Midland's branding and the Griffin logo. In 1986, the bank's operations were re-organised when its operations in the Republic of Ireland were separated from its Northern Ireland business into a subsidiary company called Northern Bank (Ireland) Limited.
Acquisition by National Australia Bank
In 1988, both Northern Bank Limited and Northern Bank (Ireland) Limited were acquired by National Australia Bank, after which the operations in Northern Bank (Ireland) Limited were renamed National Irish Bank. The Northern Bank brand name continued in Northern Ireland, but a new logo was introduced, a stylised "N" in a hexagon shape. In 2002, the bank's logotype (the word "Northern") was changed to match that of the National Australia Bank.
Acquisition by Danske Bank
In December 2004, the Denmark-based Danske Bank Group agreed to acquire Northern Bank and National Irish Bank for £967m. The sale of the two banks marked National Australia Bank's exit from the Irish banking markets.[4] Don Price remained as CEO, but was later replaced by Gerry Mallon in June 2008. The acquisition was completed in 2005 and Danske Bank invested approximately £100m in Northern Bank.[5] As part of this process, National Irish Bank was separated from the Northern Bank and given its own dedicated management team. Both Northern & National Irish Bank also migrated over to Danske Bank's technology platform with a centralised contact centre set up to deal with all incoming calls to the branches of both banks. From April 2006 the two banks also adopted new corporate identities which were based on a variation of the Danske Bank logo.
On 1 June 2012, brand separation between Northern Bank and National Irish Bank was also reversed, with the two banks merged under the Northern Bank management team.[6] On November 19 2012 the bank formally dropped its Northern Bank name and began trading as Danske Bank. The first Danish branding was unveiled with new signage at the company's head office in Donegall Square.[7] Since the rebrand, Danske Bank continues to issue pound sterling banknotes in Northern Ireland, and notes issued since 2013 now bear the Danske Bank brand name.[8]
In 2008, Northern Bank embarked on a £3m investment programme to upgrade facilities at three of its Northern Ireland branches.[9]
Banknotes
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In common with the other Big Four banks of Northern Ireland, the Northern Bank retains the right to issue its own banknotes. These are pound sterling notes and equal in value to Bank of England notes, and should not be confused with banknotes of the former Irish pound.
Most Northern Bank banknotes feature an illustration on the reverse side of the portico of Belfast City Hall, sculpted by F. W. Pomeroy. The front of most notes depict a range of notable people associated with industry in Northern Ireland. The designs currently in circulation are:
- £5 polymer note featuring the U.S. Space Shuttle
- £10 note featuring J. B. Dunlop
- £20 note featuring Harry Ferguson
- £50 note featuring Sir Samuel Cleland Davidson, founder of the Belfast Sirocco Works and pioneer of air conditioning
- £100 note featuring Sir James Martin, inventor of the aircraft ejector seat,[10]
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK to have issued a plastic banknote. This is the Northern Bank's Year 2000 commemorative £5 banknote, which was printed in Australia.
2005 reissue
Following the £26.5 million robbery in 2004 (see below), Northern Bank announced on 7 January 2005 that all its notes were to be recalled and reissued in different colours and styles, and using the bank's new logo. The reissue began on 14 March 2005 and was scheduled to take one month; old notes remain exchangeable at branches of Northern Bank.
The principal colours of Northern Bank notes of greater than £5 face value were changed with the 2005 reissue, and are now (former colour in brackets):
- £10 green (brown)
- £20 blue (purple)
- £50 purple (green)
- £100 red (black)
The 'N' monogram logo displayed on these notes was later replaced with a new Northern Bank logo.
Danske Bank issue
In June 2013, following the acquisition of the bank by Danske Bank, a new set of banknotes were issued bearing the Danske Bank name, replacing former Northern Bank branding. The older Northern Bank notes are to be gradually withdrawn but will continue in circulation alongside the new Dankse notes and will remain acceptable for payments. Danske Bank has also ceased issue of £50 and £100 notes and will in future only print £10 and £20 notes.[11]
Robbery
On 20 December 2004 the cash centre at the bank's headquarters in Belfast was raided, and £26.5 million stolen. Most of this consisted of uncirculated Northern Bank notes, as well as millions in used notes. There was also over a million pounds in other currencies. The police and government as well as other major political figures in both Ireland and the United Kingdom accused the Provisional Irish Republican Army of being responsible.
On 9 October 2008 the trial of the only man to be charged with the robbery collapsed when Chris Ward, 26, was found not guilty.[12]
References
- ^ "Banks in United Kingdom (UK or Britain)". ecbs.org. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Patronage - Danske Bank". Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "History". Danske Bank. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Green light for NAB options desk". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^ O'Reilly, Gemma (2008-12-10). "Belfast paper leaves the Troubles behind". Brand Republic. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Danske Bank strengthens commitment to Northern Ireland". Danske Bank. 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Hello Danske as a new era begins for Northern Bank" (Press release). Belfast: Danske Bank. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Rebrand". Danske Bank. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Northern Bank invests Pounds 3m to upgrade facilities". HighBeam Research. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ^ "Irish Scientists and Inventors". Irish Patents Office. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
- ^ "Danske Bank puts new bank-notes into circulation". BBC News. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
- ^ "£26m bank robbery trial collapses". BBC News. 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- "Tracker rate reduction from Northern Bank (NI)". moneyfacts.co.uk. 2010-10-03. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- Kingston, Kevin (2010-04-30). "Time to focus on reshaping economy". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
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