July 23 (Reuters) - Mark McCombe, the former head of HSBC's Hong Kong operations, has emerged as the externalfrontrunner for the top job at Royal Bank of Scotland,the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing three peopleclose to the process.
McCombe is the chairman of fund manager BlackRock's AsiaPacific operations and has been with HSBC with an internationalcareer spanning 20 years.
RBS has been struggling to recruit a suitable replacementfor ousted Chief Executive Stephen Hester, whose departure lastmonth was engineered by Chairman Philip Hampton with the backingof Britain's finance ministry.
Hampton and Anna Mann's MWM headhunting firm areinterviewing candidates and could name a new chief executive byAug. 2, along with the bank's second-quarter results, FT said.()
David Roberts, the deputy chairman of Lloyds and a formerbanker at Barclays Plc, is seen as a second credibleexternal candidate for the post, the newspaper added.
External candidates touted by industry sources and analystsalso include Richard Meddings, finance director at StandardChartered Plc.
Internal options would include Finance Director Bruce VanSaun, and Nathan Bostock, currently head of restructuring andrisk and a former Abbey National finance chief.
RBS declined to comment on the matter. McCombe could not bereached for comments via BlackRock outside regular businesshours.
Barclays (BARC)
HSBC Holdings (HSBA)
Standard Chartered (STAN)
