ANGLO IRISH Bank’s head of corporate development, Tom Hunersen, has been charged by chief executive Mike Aynsley with the tricky task of managing the loans to former directors and senior executives of the troubled nationalised bank.

The American, who had a stint at National Australia Bank, is also supervising the not insignificant borrowings owed by Sean Quinn’s businesses and family members. We wish him luck.

The bank’s legal proceedings against former chairman Sean FitzPatrick, initiated in the Four Courts yesterday, are understood to be the fruit of Hunersen’s labours over recent months.

He is known to have had a number of awkward meetings with big borrowers and former senior Anglo executives in recent times.

Staff have nicknamed him “Gunner” Hunersen, such is his ice-cool, calculating manner.

Here’s hoping his mop-up operation is successful.