Allied Irish Banks has appointed two new board members, Simon Ball and Thomas Wacker, bringing to nine the number of directors on the board of the almost fully nationalised bank.

Mr Ball is non-executive deputy chairman of Cable and Wireless Communications and non-executive director of business services company Tribal Group.

Mr Wacker is a non- executive and former chief executive of Belmont Advisers (UK) and a former chief executive of IFG Group’s offshore business.

All 16 of the AIB board members who were in place at the time of the bank guarantee in September 2008 have been replaced.