The new year kicked off with several executive appointments across Australia and NZ’s financial services sector, with notable additions to NAB, Bankwest, and QBE.

Australia

– QBE Insurance has appointed Sue Houghton as its next Chief Executive for Australia Pacific (AUSPAC). Houghton currently serves Managing Director for insurance at Westpac. She is expected to assume her new role this August pending regulatory approval.

– NAB has appointed Anastasia Cammaroto to the position of Chief Information Officer of Personal Banking, leading technology across its personal banking operations. Cammaroto served at Westpac for more than two decades, most recently as Chief Information Officer, Consumer and Group Business.

– Bankwest has promoted current Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Mitchell to the position of Chief Information Officer. She replaces Andy Weir as Bankwest’s CIO, following an announcement in December 2020 of his intention to leave the CBA-owned bank where he served for more than 15 years.

– MLC Life Insurance has appointed Rick Wingfield to the position of Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer (CITO). Wingfield will oversee the company’s innovation and transformation program. He replaces current Acting CITO, Tahir Tanveer, who stepped into the role vacated by Sarv Girn at the beginning of 2020.

MLC has also appointed Michael Rogers to the position of Chief Life Insurance Officer. Rogers most recently served as General Manager of Insurance for QSuper. He replaces Sean McCormack, who last December announced he would take on the role of Chief Executive of Integrity Life.

– The Bank of Queensland (BOQ) has made three key executive appointments:

• Martine Jager has been appointed Group Executive for Retail Banking, replacing Lyn McGrath. Jager joins BOQ from Westpac where she most recently served as the banking group’s Chief Digital and Marketing Officer.
• Rod Finch has been appointed to the new role of Director of Transformation for Retail Banking, focused on the bank’s digital operations. Finch joins BoQ from AMP where he most recently served as Managing Director of AMP Bank. He will report to Martine Jager.
• Danielle Keighery has been appointed Chief Customer Officer. Keighery joins the organisation after more than a decade with Virgin Australia, most recently as Chief Experience Officer.

– NSW state insurer, icare, has appointed Richard Harding as its new Chief Executive. Harding has, since 2015, served as head of NZ-based Tower. The appointment of Harding follows the departure in August of former icare chief John Nagle amid concerns raised over the insurer’s performance and conflicts of interest.

– The National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSXA) has promoted Chan Arambewela to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Arambewela has served as the NSXA’s Head of Product and Strategy since mid-2020.

– ANZ has appointed Shane Buggle, currently Group General Manager Internal Audit, as Acting Chief Financial Officer. Buggle replaces Michelle Jablko who announced her departure at the end of 2020.

New Zealand

– Kiwibank has announced two senior appointments to its Digital and Technology Leadership Team:

• Ranjit Jayanandhan has been appointed General Manager of the bank’s Foundation Tech Experience Hub.
• David Palmer has been appointed General Manager, Customer Offerings and New Platforms.

– ANZ Bank New Zealand has appointed Penny Dell to the position of Treasurer. Dell replaces Paul Daley, who announced he would retire at the end of February after 25 years with the bank. She most recently served as ANZ NZ’s Head of Asset and Liability Management.

– The Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) has appointed Paul Conway to the position of Chief Economist.

Departures

– Future Super has announced the departure of Chief Executive Kirstin Hunter, who has served in the role since 2018. The Chief Executive role was shared with fellow co-founder Simon Sheikh. Sheikh will again become the sole CEO following Hunter’s departure.

– Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Chairman James Shipton has resumed his role after being cleared of allegations of misconduct over relocation-related expenses. Shipton stood aside in October last year following concerns raised by the auditor general about ASIC’s decision to pay almost $120,000 for tax advice to help him relocate to Australia. He is expected to formally step down as ASIC chair “in the coming months”.

Board

– Macquarie Bank has appointed Rebecca McGrath and Mike Roche to the Macquarie Group Limited and Macquarie Bank Limited Boards as independent directors, effective 20 January 2021.

– The Financial Services Council (FSC) has appointed Andrew Morgan, Acting Managing Director of MLC Wealth, as a Director to the FSC Board.

– ME Bank board has appointed David Atkin and John Arthur. Atkin is a former Cbus chief executive and recently appointed AMP Capital Deputy Chief Executive. Arthur currently serves as chair of Sydney Metro. John Nesbitt, former AMP Capital chair and Suncorp banking and wealth CEO, has also retired from the ME Bank board.

– CBA has made two leadership appointments to its fintech X15 Ventures subsidiary:

• Ben Heap has been appointed X15’s first Non-executive, Independent Chair.
• Jane Martino has been appointed its first external portfolio adviser. As part of the role, Martino will “provide insight and recommendations to X15’s investment committee regarding the funding of potential new ventures.”