THE STATE-owned Anglo Irish Bank is creating a new senior position at the bank, director of strategy and planning, and is seeking to fill the post with either an internal or external candidate.

The position is one of a number of roles to be filled at Anglo as the bank prepares to finalise a restructuring plan, which must be filed under EU Commission rules as part of the Government’s €4 billion recapitalisation of the lender.

The new director of strategy and planning is expected to play a leading role in implementing the plan, working closely with the new chief executive, Australian banker Mike Aynsley, and Anglo’s Government-appointed directors.

Commission rules on State aid dictate that the bank must outline whether it has a viable future or else show how it will wound up.

The report must be submitted to the commission next month.

The bank has recently hired an external consultant, Thomas Hunersen, who has previously worked for National Australia Bank, where Mr Aynsley worked as a senior executive, and Bank of Ireland in the US.

He has also managed an investment fund for Australian bank Macquarie. In more recent times, he has managed an investment and consulting company called CKW Associates.

Mr Hunersen worked in a strategy role for Bank of Ireland.

However, the advertising of the role of director of strategy and planning at Anglo is not connected with his recruitment at the bank.

Anglo is also seeking to appoint a chief financial officer, head of lending, head of treasury and head of operations from candidates inside and outside the bank after recently filling the roles of chief executive and chief risk officer with external candidates.

The bank has signalled that any managers with impaired loans will not be considered for these jobs.