(19 July 2019 – Australia) The National Australia Bank has named Ross McEwan as group chief executive and managing director, closing off the search following Andrew Thorburn’s departure in February this year.
Mr McEwan comes to NAB from the CEO’s chair at Royal Bank of Scotland where he served from 2013 to April 2019. NAB’s chairman-elect, Philip Chronican, said McEwan is an “ideal leader” for the bank as it seeks to transform its operations and culture regarding products, experience and customer service, highlighting that “RBS has been through many of the same challenges which NAB now faces around culture, trust and reputation,”
Following the announcement, he immediately pledged to accelerate change at the Bank saying: “It is essential that I protect and accelerate the bank’s transformation program,” McEwan said in a statement. “It is a privilege to return to Australia and lead NAB at a crucial time for the bank, its customers, employees, shareholders and the broader community.”
McEwan, also a former Commonwealth Bank executive general manager, is set to join NAB by April next year, and has flagged a particular interest in the bank’s transformation efforts.
He also highlighted potential improvements to the bank’s performance in business banking, agriculture and health, and customer service.