A NEW era dawns at Royal Bank of Scotland next week when Alison Rose takes over as chief executive of the Edinburgh-based institution.
But while the bank can say it has put to bed most of the legacy issues which engulfed it following its near collapse a decade ago, there remain big challenges requiring attention.
Ms Rose, who succeeds Ross McEwan, will be hoping the bank can put the costly PPI scandal behind it before too long, even though, as finance chief Katie Murray conceded yesterday, it would be brave for anyone to say the matter is closed, such has been the volume of last-minute claims.
READ MORE: Royal Bank of Scotland appoints Alison Rose as new CEO
Longer term, the stumbling performance of investment business NatWest Markets, three years into a four-year transformation programme, is another worry, given the precipitous drop in income recorded in the third quarter.
Solutions will have to be found in difficult economic and political conditions.
Ms Murray was loathe to attribute a £55 million impairment charge taken in the third quarter to Brexit alone, but admitted the uncertainty was continuing to stop large businesses making investment decisions.
Low interest rates and intense competition in the mortgage market, meanwhile, are further headaches which show no signs of easing soon.
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