London | National Australia Bank's incoming CEO Ross McEwan has what feels like a rare piece of good news for his new bank's otherwise beleaguered executives and employees: his weekends are sacrosanct, and theirs will be too.

“I’m not one of those executives who works seven days a week or sends emails to my staff over the weekends or late at night. I’ve banned it,” the outgoing CEO of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), tells The Australian Financial Review as he sips a 9am cappuccino in London.