Bank of Ireland named Susan Russell as chief executive of its Irish retail unit, formally appointing her to a role that she had effectively been carrying out on an acting basis since last September. Ms. Russell, who has been with Bank of Ireland since 2000, has as a result of the promotion become the fourth woman member of the lender's 12-person executive committee. The process to find a new chief executive of its UK unit was ongoing. The incumbent, Ian McLaughlin, handed in his notice in January and is preparing to take over later this year as head of London-listed sub-prime lender Vanquis Banking Group, which was known as Provident Financial before a rebrand in March.
Meanwhile, Bank of Ireland's director of business banking John O'Beirne, who had been widely tipped internally as a future member of the group executive committee, handed in his notice last week. The spokesman confirmed his planned departure to The Irish Times, adding that Mr. O'Beirne will be taking up an "opportunity in the wider financial services sector". Ms. Russell has been acting as head of retail Ireland since last September, when its then chief executive, Gavin Kelly, was appointed interim chief executive of the wider group between the exit of Francesca McDonagh and appointment of Myles O'Grady to the role. Mr. Kelly was named in March as chief executive of the group's corporate and markets division, as it was expanded to also include business banking. She previously held senior positions in retail banking, finance, digital, strategy and operations at Bank of Ireland.