Nordic bank Nordea has appointed Ian Smith as group chief financial officer and head of group finance.

Smith, who will join from Virgin Money UK, where he is group chief financial officer, has an extensive background in the financial services sector in the UK and has held a variety of senior positions, including banking audit partner and financial services M&A leader at Deloitte.

He also served as director of group finance at Lloyds Banking Group and at Halifax Bank of Scotland.

Nordea president and group chief executive officer Frank Vang-Jensen said: “I am pleased to welcome Ian to Nordea. He brings leadership, expertise and a strong track record.

“The appointment supports Nordea’s new phase and our key priorities – optimise operational efficiency, drive income growth initiatives and create great customer experiences – and I look forward to working with him across the business and in the group leadership team.”

The appointment is subject to regulatory approval and Smith will remain at Virgin Money UK until after its interim results announcement, which is due in May.

The current Nordea CFO Christopher Rees is relocating to the UK and will leave Nordea when a transition date is agreed.