
Ross McEwan's leadership and vision for RBS played a crucial role in the bank's transformation. He was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of RBS in 2013 and led the bank through a significant period of change.
McEwan's experience in the banking industry, having worked at the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group and the National Australia Bank, provided him with the necessary skills to tackle the challenges faced by RBS.
Under his leadership, RBS focused on improving its customer service and reducing its costs.
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Early Life and Career
Ross McEwan's educational background is quite impressive. He was educated at Hastings Boys' High School, Hastings.
He later went on to study at Massey University, where he completed a degree in business studies and human resources, despite having failed an accountancy module twice.
Early Life and Education
McEwan was educated at Hastings Boys' High School, Hastings.
He later earned a master in business administration from the Harvard Business School.
Despite struggling in one area, McEwan completed a degree in business studies and human resources from Massey University.
He failed an accountancy module twice, but still managed to graduate.
40 Years Experience

Ross McEwan has had an incredible 40-year career in the industry. He's been a financial services executive, known for his progressive approach to sales, people, and transformation.
Ross has held various executive roles, including Digital, Data & Analytics, Strategy & Transformation, Risk & Compliance, Customer, Product & Operational Leadership. He's also a GAICD and Executive MBA holder.
Ross has worked with numerous organizations, including Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest. He's been a CEO at NatWest, where he was supported by the Sikh Network and even helped facilitate an interview with Ajay Banga, the then-CEO of MasterCard.
Ross is also known for his community work, including participating in a homeless feed with his ExCo team on a freezing night. His contributions to charitable causes have been widely recognized.
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Profile
Ross Maxwell McEwan received an MBA from Harvard Business School, which is a prestigious institution for business education.
He has held leadership positions in numerous companies, including National Australia Bank Ltd. and Ulster Bank Ltd.

Ross Maxwell McEwan also worked as Group Executive-Retail Banking Services at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Head-Retail Banking & Marketing at ASB Group (Life) Ltd.
He has held various titles, including Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director at several companies, including NatWest Group Plc and The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc.
Ross Maxwell McEwan graduated from Massey University with an undergraduate degree.
RBS Leadership
Ross McEwan's tenure as CEO of RBS was marked by significant changes. He was appointed in October 2013 with a clear plan to shift the bank's focus towards UK retail banking.
McEwan's leadership style was characterized by his willingness to make tough decisions, such as forgoing a £1m share award in 2015. This move was meant to avoid distractions from the bank's main goal of rebuilding its reputation.
McEwan's leadership was also scrutinized over the bank's handling of the Global Restructuring Group (GRG) affair. The Treasury Committee expressed concerns about the bank's defensiveness and failure to acknowledge mistakes.
CEO of RBS
Ross McEwan was appointed CEO of RBS in October 2013, tasked with shifting the bank's focus away from investment banking and reducing its international exposure.
He aimed to focus more on UK retail banking, a move that was expected to bring about a more stable and secure banking experience for customers.
McEwan attracted attention in 2014 for his stance on "free banking", stating that it was unsustainable and would eventually lead to greater transparency from banks about their operations.
He also made headlines in 2015 when he forwent a £1m share award, citing a desire not to be a distraction from his work in rebuilding the bank.
McEwan's leadership was put to the test when he was called to explain RBS's handling of small businesses through its Global Restructuring Group (GRG) from 2008 to 2014.
In 2019, McEwan announced his surprise resignation as CEO, citing a 12-month notice period and a commitment to stay on until a suitable successor was found.
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During his tenure, McEwan oversaw significant changes, including the modernization and simplification of the bank's IT system and the launch of several fintech startups.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for his services to the financial sector.
Here's a brief timeline of McEwan's time as CEO:
- October 2013: Appointed CEO of RBS
- 2014: Stated that "free banking" would eventually end
- 2015: Forwent £1m share award
- 2019: Announced surprise resignation as CEO
- 2020: Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Clarity and Consistency
Ross McEwan's approach to leadership is centered around clarity and consistency, a philosophy he's applied throughout his career. He believes in radical simplicity, breaking things down to the essentials.
McEwan's methodology is to ask basic questions, such as what business you're in and where your revenue comes from. He says, "Start with the basics... What is the business that we are actually in? Let's be clear about that."
He's a firm believer in staying focused on the core business and avoiding distractions. At RBS, he made most of the bank's money from the UK, so he questioned why the bank was operating in so many other countries.
McEwan's strategy is to have a clear vision, stay with it, and have the entire organization working towards it. He works off a one-page strategy document that outlines the bank's goals and measures of success.
He's also a proponent of transparency, saying that boards and executives should question whether they're overdoing it with reporting detail. He asks, "Can we actually see the wood for the trees?"
RBS Overview
Ross McEwan was appointed CEO of RBS in October 2013, with a focus on moving the bank away from investment banking and reducing its international exposure to concentrate on UK retail banking.
He attracted attention in 2014 for his views on "free banking", stating that it would eventually have to end, and that this would lead to greater transparency from banks about their funding operations.
McEwan made headlines in 2015 by forgoing a £1m share award, citing that he didn't want his pay package to distract from his task of building a great bank.
Despite turning down the award, he was still expected to receive £2.7m in pay.
The bank was due to release disappointing annual results that year, following a series of fines for regulatory failures, including the manipulation of the foreign exchange market.
In 2018, McEwan was called to explain RBS's handling of its Global Restructuring Group (GRG) dealings with small businesses from 2008 to 2014.
Numbers:
Ross McEwan's tenure as CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland was marked by significant numbers. He took the helm in 2013 after a 35-year career at the bank.
McEwan's leadership led to a major restructuring of the bank, resulting in a £12 billion reduction in bad debt.
The bank's loan book shrank by 17% during his time as CEO, a testament to his efforts to clean up the bank's balance sheet.
Under McEwan's leadership, the bank's cost base was reduced by £1.5 billion.
The bank's share price rose by 25% during his tenure, a reflection of the progress made during his time as CEO.
RBS and UK Government
Ross McEwan's tenure as CEO of RBS was marked by a significant deal with the UK Government. RBS received a £45.5 billion bailout from the UK Government in 2008, which was the largest in British history.
The UK Government took a 84% stake in the bank as part of the bailout. This stake was later reduced to 73% in 2012.
The deal was a crucial step in keeping RBS afloat during the financial crisis. McEwan played a key role in negotiating the deal and implementing the bank's restructuring plans.
RBS Challenges
Ross McEwan faced a significant challenge in his tenure as RBS CEO, which was the bank's legacy issues. The bank was still dealing with the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
One of the main challenges was the £45.5 billion of bad debts that RBS had accumulated. This was a major drag on the bank's profitability.
Ross McEwan had to navigate the bank through a complex restructuring process to address these issues. He implemented a new strategy to tackle the bank's legacy problems.
RBS's IT system was another major challenge that Ross McEwan faced. The bank's IT system was outdated and had been the subject of several high-profile failures.
Ross McEwan worked to modernize the bank's IT system and improve its reliability. This involved investing in new technology and streamlining the bank's IT operations.
The bank's culture was also in need of change, with many employees feeling demotivated and disconnected from the bank's goals. Ross McEwan implemented a new approach to leadership and culture, which included a focus on employee engagement and development.
Ross McEwan's efforts to address these challenges were not without their challenges. The bank still had a long way to go in terms of recovering from its legacy issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Ross McEwan?
Ross McEwan stepped down as NAB CEO after an 11-year tenure, marked by efforts to strip the bank back to its core after years of unprofitable expansions. He officially left the bank on April 2, but bid farewell earlier due to the Easter break.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_McEwan
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ross-mcewan-nab_ross-mcewan-40-years-in-the-industry-activity-7178605450349748224-9dG5
- https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROSS-MCEWAN-A0QIL8/
- https://www.worldfinance.com/featured/on-the-money-why-ross-mcewan-can-take-national-australia-bank-forward
- https://www.aicd.com.au/leadership/types/business-leaders/ross-mcewan-cbe-takes-his-seat-in-the-bhp-boardroom.html
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