Revolut appoints former Chase UK chief Kuba Fast to head its European banking operations.

      Revolut has named Kuba Fast, the previous CEO of Chase UK, to lead Revolut Bank UAB, the Lithuania-based branch that possesses the fintech's European banking license. This decision brings on board a seasoned professional directly from JPMorgan Chase to steer one of the industry's most scrutinized digital lenders, as it continues to expand its banking operations, recently obtaining a UK banking license after a three-year process.

      Fast will also take on the role of Revolut’s CEO for Europe, succeeding Joe Heneghan, who has been in this position since 2021. The appointment is anticipated to become effective around mid-2026, pending approval from both the European Central Bank and the Bank of Lithuania.

      Revolut Bank UAB, registered in Lithuania, is crucial to the company’s continental activities, operating under the supervision of the ECB and the Bank of Lithuania. It has a presence in 30 markets across the European Economic Area, a footprint that has faced scrutiny as it expanded, with European regulators previously restricting some of the bank's more risk-prone product introductions.

      The unit acquired a specialized banking license in December 2018, commenced operations in 2020, and received a full banking license from the ECB the following year. Fast's hiring is significant since he previously led Chase UK and JPMorgan Europe Limited, taking the helm of the Chase operation in May 2024. After seven years at the American bank, he described his experience on LinkedIn as a “once-in-a-lifetime adventure: building a bank from a PowerPoint presentation to an institution serving millions of customers in the UK.”

      Fast’s career also encompasses experience in the market Revolut is targeting most aggressively. Prior to JPMorgan, he spent nearly three years at the Polish digital lender mBank and six years at McKinsey & Company, providing him with valuable insights across Central and Eastern Europe that Expansion indicated would influence his new role.

      Fast emphasized that the company still has significant growth opportunities, stating, “Despite already being one of the largest retail banks in the EU by customer count, Revolut still has massive potential across customer growth, product expansion, and deeper relationships,” adding that it has achieved something rare in digital banking: mastering large-scale cross-border banking.

      This expansion ambition sets the strategic context for the hire. Earlier in 2026, Revolut obtained its long-anticipated UK banking license and has been introducing a range of products, from mortgages in Lithuania to wealth management services, as it transforms its payments app—used by millions—into a comprehensive bank. Its EU branch, with about 700,000 customers in Lithuania, is pivotal to this transformation.

      The change comes at a time of heightened expectations; Revolut has become Europe's most valuable private tech company, and founder Nik Storonsky has indicated an initial public offering is approximately two years away and likely to occur in the US rather than London.

      The transition marks the conclusion of Heneghan’s tenure as he guided Revolut’s European bank through licensing and initial growth since 2021. Fast’s role will involve sustaining the expansion across the continent while remaining compliant with regulators, a familiar challenge for someone who has spent the past two years building a competitive bank nearly from the ground up. Expansion noted that his focus would likely prioritize Eastern Europe, a key region in achieving the company’s ambitious goal of reaching 100 markets and 100 million customers.

      The company has yet to announce a specific start date beyond the mid-year timeframe, and the appointment is pending regulatory approval. However, it is evident that Revolut has tapped into traditional banking expertise to oversee a segment of its operations where regulation and potential risks are particularly critical.