Tommy de Swaan, Chief financial officer and head of risk management, ABN Amro

ABN Amro’s ebullient new chief financial officer was known by colleagues at the Dutch central bank as “Turbo Tommy” for the speed with which he got things done. “His greatest strength is his social intelligence,” says a senior central banker. “He’s also always open to new concepts and new approaches. If he has a weakness, it is that when he delegates, it is often to himself.”

Tommy de Swaan had been in charge of banking and market supervision at the central bank since 1991, a board member for 13 years, and an employee there since university.