Seven days: 29 June 2018

Stevenson for HSBC

If Ewen Stevenson could manage four years as finance director sorting out Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) chaotic balance sheet – shedding risky assets, improving capital levels and helping it report its first attributable profit in a decade – then getting costs under control at HSBC (HSBA) will be a cinch, right? Mr Stevenson will replace Iain Mackay as finance director of the Asia-focused banking group, alongside recently appointed chief executive John Flint. Mr Mackay will serve a 12-month notice period, while Mr Stevenson said last month that he would stay at RBS to “oversee an orderly handover” of his responsibilities.