Lloyds to create 500 high-skilled jobs at a new digital tech hub in Edinburgh

Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) will create 500 high-skilled jobs at a new digital tech hub in Edinburgh, it has announced.

With customer behaviour moving increasingly towards digital services, LBG has started recruiting software engineers and data scientists for the hub, which will be based at its Scottish Widows' headquarters.

Scotland's Economy Secretary Derek Mackay welcomed news of the new jobs, which will be phased in over the next 18 months as part of a £3bn investment announced by Lloyds last year to overhaul its digital services.

Mackay said: "Edinburgh is fast becoming one of the UK's most competitive tech hubs, with growth in agile start-ups, offerings from its world-leading universities and new digital academies providing greater scale and choice for careers in the industry.

"Lloyds' investment will be a major boost towards growing the workforce of the future in Scotland, helping create a more dynamic and innovative side to its thriving financial sector."

Philip Grant, chairman of LBG's Scottish executive committee, said: "People's expectations are rising rapidly as they want the same experience they're used to with established digital brands.

"In our tech labs, we are designing what customers will need in the future, making products and services that can adapt to their lives and making it easier for them to connect with their finances."