National Australia Bank yesterday  announced veteran banker Ross McEwan would be its new chief executive, as the lender seeks to rebuild confidence after a scathing national inquiry.

McEwan, a New Zealander, resigned as head of the Royal Bank of Scotland in April.

He had held the top job at RBS since 2013, having steering it through a steady recovery following a British government bailout during the 2008 global financial crisis.

He will take the helm at NAB by next April, with the bank still reeling from a Royal Commission into the industry that exposed rampant malpractice.

The inquiry unearthed a host of scandals, including fees levied against dead people, aggressive selling tactics and poor financial advice.