The sale of shares in NatWest to the general public could happen as early as June, UK Government Investments has confirmed.
UKGI, the company responsible for government investments, has been exploring a share sale since the chancellor announced plans last year.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt unveiled plans in November for a potential retail sale within 12 months, with any divestment “subject to market conditions and achieving value for money”.
On Tuesday, Holger Vieten, who is in charge of selling the government's shares in NatWest, told MPs on the Treasury Select Committee that the process "potentially could happen" as early as June.
"The very earliest could be around summer time, but we don't have an exact date," the UKGI director said.
Sky News reported that M&C Saatchi has been hired to drive the advertising coverage of the share sale.
Banking sources said that Barclays had also been drafted in by government officials to work on the retail component of the share sale, which will be one of the most complex undertaken in Britain for years, Sky said.
Barclays and M&C join Goldman Sachs on the roster of so-called privatisation advisers to the government.
The government, which is NatWest’s biggest shareholder, held a stake of almost 36% as of 19 January, according to a recent filing.