ABN Amro is poised to appoint French national Marguerite Bérard as its new chief executive from April this year, replacing Robert Swaak who said in August he is stepping down.

Her appointment will be a first for the big three Dutch banks, none of which have had a woman in the top job before.

However, two of the three will now be run by foreigners. Rabobank appointed Belgian national Stefaan Decraene to its top job two years ago. He too came from BNP Paribas.

Bérard, 47, was head of the BNP Paribas French commercial and personal banking arm and a member of the executive committee between January 2019 and March 2024.

Her appointment is still subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.

According to broadcaster NOS, Bérard is now busy learning Dutch.

The Dutch state still retains a 30% share in ABN Amro which was nationalised during the 2008 financial crisis.

The rescue deal cost the state nearly €27 billion in total. Finance minister Eelco Heinen told MPs last year the state will not recuperate its investment in rescuing the bank because that would require the entire remaining stake to be sold at a share price of €31.49.