Lloyds Banking Group and HBOS merger PR veterans take new roles

By ERIKKA ASKELAND
Published on 19/09/2012 00:00

TWO former executives who handled communications during the torrid merger of Lloyds Banking Group and HBOS have found new roles.

Shane O’Riordain, the former head of communications for both HBOS and Lloyds Banking Group, will be relocating to Australia in February as he takes up a new role with Sydney-based bank, Westpac Group.

Harry Hussain, who was a senior media relations manager with Lloyds until 2010, has been promoted to become head of the Edinburgh PR division of communications agency Weber Shandwick.

O’Riordain, who has been head of communications for Royal Mail for close to two years, will take up the job of general manager for corporate affairs at the Australian bank, with responsibility for Westpac’s media relations, government relations, internal communications, sustainability and community involvement..

Westpac said O’Riordain’s selection was the result of a “global executive search”. Westpac launched the hunt for a new head of corporate affairs in March after the incumbent David Bell decided to step down from the role after two years.

The former communications director started his career as an Irish diplomat and joined the Halifax in 1999. He said: “A large part of my career was very international. I thought this was an opportunity I should take up.

“I have enjoyed it at Royal Mail and I will be here until February. It is great place. I’m sorry I won’t be here for any potential transaction,” he said of government plans to privatise the mail service.

“We have had a great run in the Olympics and Paralympics – we had a very successful campaign for our next day stamps and our gold post boxes – I’m glad to say there are many gold postboxes in Scotland.

“Australia will be a big learning experience for me. When I was at HBOS we did however have a retail bank in Australia, I was involved in the launch of the retail bank there, so while I am far from an expert, I have some rudimentary knowledge.

He added: “I’m Irish – so I’m not a Pom – that’s a big thing in Australia.”

The Financial Services Authority is expected to publish a full report on the collapse of HBOS following its censure of the bank’s head of corporate, Peter Cummings, who was levied with a record £500,000 fine.

In Edinburgh, Hussain was promoted from associate to director within the Scottish business of Weber Shandwick, part of the global marketing giant, Interpublic Group.

Moray Macdonald, managing director of Weber Shandwick Scotland, said: “Harry’s promotion is an important milestone for Weber Shandwick. He commands enormous respect across the industry and brings a wealth of knowledge and contacts that will prove a significant asset.”