The Royal Bank of Scotland has hired for the role of head of project finance, which has been vacant for five months, appointing a new managing director and head of the division from rival BNP Paribas.

Simon Orchard, formerly head of energy, commodities, export and project finance syndications at BNP Paribas in London, replaces Steve Gee who resigned from RBS in March as head of project and structured asset-based finance.