Nationwide has hired HSBC's European general counsel Keith Ford to replace legal chief Liz Kelly.

Ford will start his new role in the compliance leadership team, which encompasses the legal function, in July. He has extensive experience within retail, wealth management and commercial divisions, and previously headed the legal team at HSBC's UK retail banking arm.

Last October Nationwide confirmed Kelly would step down from the top legal role to spend more time with her family. She left in recent weeks, following a review of the building society's external advisers.

The review, which concluded in January, saw new places awarded to Linklaters and Addleshaw Goddard, on a slimmed-down group-wide legal panel.

Burges Salmon, Nabarro and Olswang were all dropped, having been appointed to the inaugural panel in 2009, while there were re-appointments for Allen & Overy and Eversheds.

Law firms on the panel will advise on a range of matters, including property, consumer, dispute resolution, employment, commercial contracts, corporate and Treasury matters.

Liz Kelly, who was a 2010 finalist for Legal Week's general counsel of the year, had worked at the company since 2001.

Having previously worked at Clifford Chance and Sidley Austin as a junior lawyer, she joined the building society as a senior solicitor before taking the GC role in 2009. Kelly was appointed Divisional Director for Legal and Compliance in 2011.