THE Royal Bank of Scotland's commercial banking operation in Bolton has appointed Alison Barnes as commercial banking manager, replacing Bill Gillings, who has retired from the bank.

Alison, aged 39, has been with the RBS Group for 14 years, having spent the past seven years working in the commercial office in Bolton.

In her new role, Alison will be responsible for supporting the bank's existing commercial banking customers and identifying new business opportunities.

Dave Jones, director commercial banking for NatWest and The Royal Bank of Scotland in Bolton said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bill for his considerable contribution to the success of the Bolton commercial office and to welcome Alison to the management team.

"Alison has been a key member of the team for a number of years and is already well known across the Bolton business community. I am sure she will prove a tremendous addition to our relationship team."

A Bolton resident for many years, Alison said: "I'm looking forward to building on my existing relationships with our customers, providing them with tailored financial solutions to help their businesses grow."