HSBC names Pam Kaur as first female CFO amid major restructuring

cnbc.com:

HSBC on Tuesday named veteran insider Pam Kaur as its first female finance chief and announced a major overhaul comprising a new geographic setup and four consolidated business units.

Kaur is set to assume her post on Jan. 1, according to regulatory filings with the Hong Kong bourse, taking over from interim Chief Financial Officer Jon Bingham.

This is the second heavyweight leadership shakeup for HSBC in recent months, after former finance boss Georges Elhedery was named CEO of the group back in July.

The bank's shares were flat in early London trade Tuesday.

In a fresh overhaul, the bank plans to divide its operations between an «Eastern markets» branch, reuniting Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, along with a «Western markets» division, comprising the non-ringed-fenced U.K. bank, the continental European business and the Americas.

Chinese insurer Ping An, HSBC's largest shareholder with a more-than-9% stake, has previously campaigned for the spinoff of HSBC's Asian business from the rest of the group's operations — although this was ultimately rejected during the bank's annual general meeting last year.

The bank on Tuesday also announced plans to streamline its businesses in a bid to «reduce the duplication of processes and decision making.» From January, it will operate through four divisions: Hong Kong, U.K., international wealth and premier banking, and corporate and institutional banking.

«The new structure will result in a simpler, more dynamic, and agile organisation as we focus on executing against our strategic priorities, which remain unchanged,» Elhedery said Tuesday in a statement, adding that the shakeup will help propel HSBC in its «next phase of growth.»

The bank's new corporate and institutional banking