Type: Public
On the web: http://www.rbs.com
Employees: 148,500
Employee growth: (26.4%)

If you have overdraft protection for your checking account, you can thank The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which introduced the service in 1728. Today, RBS is one of Europe's largest banking groups. Through subsidiaries Royal Bank of Scotland and National Westminster Bank, it has the UK's largest bank network of more than 2,000 branches. RBS offers private banking and insurance products through Coutts Group and Adam & Company. Other divisions include Ulster Bank, which operates in Ireland and Northern Ireland; Citizens Financial, which operates as Citizens Bank and Charter One in the US; and US transaction processor RBS Lynk. After a series of bailouts in 2008 and 2009, the UK government owns 84% of RBS.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $62,544.9M
One year growth: (29.9%)
Net income: ($1,740.2)M

Officers:
Chairman: Sir Philip Hampton
Group Chief Executive and Director: Stephen A. M. Hester
CFO and Director: Bruce W. Van Saun

Competitors:
Barclays
Citigroup
HSBC

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