Bank of Ireland hires AIB banker Carol Meehan for senior retail unit role

Bank of Ireland has hired AIB banker Carol Meehan for a senior position in its retail Ireland banking unit.

Ms Meehan, who was a commercial director in AIB’s homes unit, which includes mortgages, will become director of everyday banking at Bank of Ireland, putting her in charge of products such as current and deposit accounts, credit cards and retail digital banking.

She will take up the role in November, reporting to Susan Russell, chief executive of the retail Ireland division, the group’s largest by total income, earnings and employees.

Ms Meehan “brings extensive experience and expertise, having worked in a number of senior roles across the sector”, said Ms Russell.

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The executive joined AIB almost 10 years ago from the now defunct KBC Bank Ireland. She previously worked in EBS between 2008 and 2012, during which time AIB took over the former member-owned building society.

[ SBCI chief June Butler quits to return to Bank of IrelandOpens in new window ]

“Carol will be a great addition to our senior leadership team as we continue to evolve and grow our retail banking business and support more customers into the future,” Ms Russell said.

AIB Homes saw its managing director of six years, Tom Kinsella, leave the bank in July. He was succeeded by Ray Alcock, who first joined by bank in 1996.

Earlier this month, The Irish Times reported that Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) chief executive June Butler had quit the €300,000-a-year role to return to Bank of Ireland for a senior position.

Ms Butler has been rehired by Bank of Ireland to become head of corporate and SME banking.

The senior hires at the bank come as group chief executive Myles O’Grady advances plans to cut 260 jobs by the end of this year with further redundancies in 2026, as he aims to keep running costs in check.

Full-time equivalent employees at the bank rose 2 per cent on the year to 11,386 in June, primarily due to temporary seasonal staffing and insourcing of information technology (IT) work.

The redundancy terms are in line with previous severance rounds. Departing staff are being offered four weeks pay, including two weeks statutory entitlement, capped at 2.5 times annual salary or €300,000, whichever is lower.