(Reuters) -HSBC Holdings ( HSBC ) on Tuesday named insider Pam Kaur as its first female chief financial officer, filling a role left vacant following Georges Elhedery's elevation as CEO earlier this year.

Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Pam Kaur, 60, joined HSBC ( HSBC ) in April 2013 as group head of internal audit.

Kaur has previously held senior positions at top global banks, including Citigroup's global director of compliance for consumer banking and Deutsche Bank's global head of group audit.

The appointment fits into the 160-year-old lender's focus on continuity amid a shift to growth from restructuring, in the backdrop of rising risks associated with geopolitical tensions and an end to interest rate hikes.

Jon Bingham, interim Group CFO, will resume his role of Global Financial Controller, HSBC ( HSBC ) said.

"We had a strong bench of internal and external candidates to choose from and Pam was the exceptional candidate to recommend to the Board," HSBC Group Chief Executive, Georges Elhedery, said in a statement.