I doubt anyone will be too surprised to find its not our sad old high street banks who’ll lead us out of the financial mess they themselves created. Did we really expect them to take us forward into the next decade?

No, of course not. We needed something different, something radical, something well, customer focussed. And that could soon be here.

I’m talking of course about a new type of bank. One that was born out of today’s needs, socially aware, with services we actually want. And rewarded on achievement, not greed. And that’s what we’re calling a boutique bank.

But exactly what is a boutique bank and who is leading this latest move?

Opening the door to tomorrow’s bank

What we really mean by a boutique bank is a bank designed for a specific customer need. Something led by its market as opposed to what we have now, banks that try to get us to live in a way that maximises their own bonuses.

And that means they would have to be smaller and more focussed. More customer driven. In other words, more agile, leaner, better.

And the most likely of these will be Metro Bank. Metro has been quietly building itself over the last twelve months and has just been given the go-ahead with a license from the FSA.

Metro’s the brainchild of US entrepreneur and ex-Commerce Bancorp CEO Vernon Hill, although he’ll only be non-executive chairman in the new venture. Anthony Thomson will be vice chairman. Mr Thomson currently heads up the Financial Services Forum.

Our first socially aware bank?

The Financial Services Forum is a membership-based organisation helping members market their operations effectively and has been a strong advocate of Social Networking technology – something the conventional banks have been slow to take on board.

Coming from such a background, we can expect Anthony Thomson to adopt a strong focus on social networking, ensuring Metro is targeted and responsive to consumers.

More strategy in 12 months than two centuries on the High Street

The new bank plans an ambitious launch, centred on the traditional banks home patch, London, where 12 branches will initially open. Metro Bank plans to open these 7 days a week and will expanding to 200 from there. But that’s not all there is to the new deal.

Internet – and mobile banking, too

Metro’s high street presence will be supported by Internet and mobile banking operations. This will enable Metro to gain market share nationally and raise capital and support to realise an expected asset value of over £4 billion within the next five years.

Who showed Metro the money?

Metro, unlike Tesco, who’s banking plan is well under way, isn’t drawing funds from another existing operation. The new bank’s already raised over £75 million from private investors. With boutique banking’s potential becoming clearer, further funding won’t be hard to find.

The first of many?

I’ve always been a strong believer in a future led by boutique banks, as regular followers of my comments will know. Recent financial troubles have reinforced that belief and its a view now held by many industry strategists and watchers. But I think Metro is just the start. The money’s out there, its just that investors don’t know who to give it to yet!