ProfileMr Barry Seymour was chief executive of NIB from 1994 to 1997. He replaced Mr Jim Lacey after Mr Lacey was dismissed by NIB's parent, National Australia Bank, apparently without warning, in April 1994. Mr Lacey had been a high profile chief of the bank and had been kidnapped by Dublin criminals in 1993.

Mr Seymour had been intending to retire in 1990 but NAB asked him to join the group on a part-time basis to pursue a particular task, a credit bureau to link NAB's European subsidiaries to Melbourne. Prior to joining NAB he had been a banker with the Midlands Bank for more than 35 years.

He was close to completing his task at NAB when he was asked to take over at NIB in 1994, following the sudden dismissal of Mr Lacey. Around the time of his appointment he was quoted as saying: "I like the fact that NIB is seen as a little terrier in the marketplace and it is my intention that we should remain in this role. We have a well deserved reputation for taking an aggressive approach to our business in terms of sales and interest rate management".

Born in Yorkshire, he lived in Dublin Monday to Friday, in a hotel, and returned to Britain each weekend, while working at NIB. Following the completion of his term as chief executive, Mr Seymour continued to conduct projects for NAB.