BANK of Ireland has named Jackie Noakes as group chief operating officer (COO), a senior role where she will oversee major spending areas including technology, infrastructure and operations. Noakes takes over from Maureen Stanley, who had worked as interim COO and who will take up a new senior role at the bank. In March, Lewis Love stood down as COO and left the bank to spend more time with his family, travel and to pursue other opportunities. Love was one of a number of senior Bank of Ireland executives to have departed after last year's appointment of Francesca McDonagh to replace Richie Boucher, following his retirement. The departures included Liam McLoughlin, the former head of Bank of Ireland's retail arm who left at the end of June. He had been tipped by many to take over from Mr. Boucher. The appointment of another woman to the senior executive tier in Bank of Ireland is likely to be seen favourably by regulators. Central Bank deputy governor Ed Sibley said this week that 94pc of senior banking jobs filled in past six years had gone to men, and warned that quotas would be considered if banks' senior management do not become more diverse.