AIB has chosen Eugene Sheehy to succeed Michael Buckley as the group's chief executive when Mr Buckley retires next year.
Mr Sheehy is the former head of AIB's retail bank and is executive vice-president and a director of M&T Bank, the US institution in which AIB has a 22.5 per cent stake.
Subject to honouring his existing commitments at M&T, it is that he will take up his new role as chief executive designate in April.
AIB chairman Dermot Gleeson said Mr Sheehy will bring a "valuable mix of both internal and external experience to the role".