Close Brothers boss steps down on health grounds as motor finance scandal grips the industry

Close Brothers’s boss has resigned on health grounds with the company engulfed in the scandal gripping the motor finance industry.

Adrian Sainsbury, who joined the 147-year-old bank in 2013 and became chief executive in 2020, stood down on Monday after taking medical leave in September.

Embattled Close Brothers did not give further details about the reason for his leave but said he is ‘recuperating well and expected to make a full recovery’.

Sainsbury, 56, has been replaced by Mike Morgan, who joined as finance director in 2010 and has been in temporary charge since September. Morgan, 59, takes over at a pivotal time for the motor finance industry. 

Health problems: Adrian Sainsbury, who became Close Brothers chief exec in 2020, stood down on Monday after taking medical leave in September

The sector faces a crisis over an upcoming Supreme Court decision whether to uphold a judgement on mis-selling of loans made in the Court of Appeal in October.

Judges then decided it was unlawful for car dealers to gain commission from lenders without receiving the customer’s consent to the payment.

It means that customers should have been clearly told how much commission dealers would earn, and agree to it.

Companies like Close Brothers have been setting aside hundreds of millions of pounds amid estimates that lenders could face a £30billion compensation bill.

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