* Stable lenders follow troubled banks to change leadership
* Financial crisis stalled management overhauls
* Stable lenders take time to implement long planned changes
By Edward Taylor
FRANKFURT, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Management changes at stable lenders HSBC and UniCredit show that with the worst parts of the credit crisis largely overcome, banks appear to have more time to focus on key personnel.
The exit of UniCredit's Alessandro Profumo, one of the longest-serving bank executives in Europe, and expected departure of HSBC Chief Executive Michael Geoghegan shows that the tornado of management change that swept through troubled institutions during the financial crisis has now engulfed even healthy lenders.
"Unnecessary personnel changes were probably postponed during the crisis to maintain stability," said Matthew Clark, banking analyst at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.
Now in the post-crisis lull, large European banks are implementing leadership changes which in some cases were agreed long before.
Earlier this month Barclays said John Varley will step down as group chief executive and be succeeded by Robert E Diamond.
Credit Suisse, another bank that fared well during the credit crisis, will appoint David Mathers to replace Renato Fassbind as chief financial officer on October 1.
Even at HSBC, the succession battle started out in an orderly fashion as outgoing Chairman Stephen Green said he expected the worst of the financial crisis to be over and announced he would become Britain's trade and investment minister.
With a raft of regulatory changes threatening profit margins, and widespread outrage on bonuses, the industry's image has taken a knock, making the profession less attractive .
Shareholders at various investment banks have made their opposition to big bonuses known at annual general meetings.
"Running a high profile bank post-crisis may not seem so attractive in an increasingly regulated and politicised industry," Clark said.
At a banking conference in Frankfurt earlier this month Alessandro Profumo said lower banking profits and the low social standing of bankers in society would make it difficult to find good staff.
"On the compensation side we are incredibly challenged," Profumo said. "Talent management will be one of the key elements of future success."
Some troubled lenders too, appear to have taken their time to make changes.
On Monday, Lloyds Banking Group Plc said Chief Executive Eric Daniels will retire in the next year, leaving the part-nationalised British bank to find a successor capable of fighting off a potential break-up.
Daniels, criticised by Lloyds shareholders for the takeover of ailing rival HBOS at the height of the financial crisis two years ago, will stay on as CEO until a replacement is found, the bank said on Monday.
(Editing by Sitaraman Shankar)