CBA makes key changes to its exec line-up, HESTA appoints new compliance head, and Visa announces former Citi chief as Oceania division leader.
Appointments
◼️ The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has announced multiple changes to its executive line-up with:
- Andrew Hinchliff appointed as Group Chief Risk Officer, stepping into the role vacated by Nigel Williams, who announced he will retire from the bank in early 2025.Hinchliff is currently CBA’s Group Executive Institutional Banking & Markets, serving in the role since August 2018. He joined the CBA in 2015 as EGM of Global Markets after a 14-year stint as a Managing Director at US banking giant Goldman Sachs.
Williams will retire from CBA in February 2025 after six years with the bank. He will remain a director of CBA’s New Zealand banking arm ASB.
- Kiersten Robinson appointed as Chief People Officer.Robinson joins CBA after a nearly 30-year career with the Ford Motor Company, most recently serving as President of Ford Mexico and Canada and General Manager of its Family Vehicles Portfolio. She also previously held the role of Chief People Officer and Employee Experience Officer with the US automotive giant.
Robinson replaces Sian Lewis as CBA’s human resources chief, with Lewis also set to retire in February 2025 after more than six years in the role.
- Sinead Taylor appointed as Group Executive Institutional Banking and Markets, replacing Andrew Hinchliff.Taylor has been with CBA for more than 20 years. In October 2021, she was promoted to Chief Operations Officer, overseeing all banking, markets and group regulatory operations across the group. Prior to this, she was Executive General Manager of the CBA-owned Bankwest, having led the business since 2019.
- Emma Bunnell has been appointed Chief Operations Officer, stepping into the role vacated by Sinead Taylor.Bunnell joins CBA from HSBC UK where she currently holds the role of Chief Executive of Channel Islands & Isle of Man. Between 2017 and 2022 she was Chief Operating Officer of the UK banking group, with oversight of financial crime operations, technology, operations and fraud functions.
Bunnell previously served 14 years with Boston Consulting Group, providing strategic, operational and technology advice to the financial services sector.
CBA chief executive Matt Comyn said the new appointments would “deliver a strong mix of banking, risk management, operational and customer focus for the future”.
He also thanked the outgoing Williams and Lewis, noting their “significant contribution” to the bank over their respective six-year tenures.
◼️ HESTA has appointed veteran risk head Tim Pietsch as General Manager of Compliance.
Pietsch, HESTA said, will take on a “critical” role in enhancing the business’s compliance framework and practices.
Pietsch joins the super fund after three-and-a-half years with AMP, most recently as Head of Risk and Compliance for Superannuation, Retirement, and Platforms.
Prior to AMP, Pietsch served more than 15 years at National Australia Bank (NAB) in a variety of senior risk, governance, business planning, and operations roles. In his most recent role at NAB, he led a team in group-wide risk governance, risk appetite and reporting disciplines as Head of Risk Governance, Appetite and Reporting.
Pietsch began his career as part of Goldman Sachs’ wealth management arm JBWere, based in Melbourne, as an industrial research analyst.
HESTA chief financial officer Natalie Kelly said Pietsch will play an “instrumental” role in shaping the super fund’s compliance strategy.
◼️ Visa has appointed Alan Machet as Group Country Manager for Visa in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.
Machet succeeds Julian Potter, who is retiring at the end of the year after seven years in the role.
Machet, in his new role will manage Visa’s business throughout Oceania, including oversight of client and industry partnerships, partner business growth, customer experience, digital acceptance, and innovation across the market.
Machet’s career in the financial services sector spans more than 20 years, including senior leadership positions at Westpac, Macquarie Bank and most recently at Citibank where he was CEO of the Bank’s Consumer Division prior to and after its acquisition by National Australia Bank (NAB) – a role he held for more than 11 years.
Following the acquisition of Citi’s consumer banking business by NAB in 2022, Machet’s role was rebadged to CEO of NAB’s Citi Branded Division. He was duly recognised for his key role in the integration of the banks.
Stephen Karpin, Regional President for Visa Asia Pacific, welcomed Machet’s “deep expertise and knowledge”. He added that Visa would continue to “drive innovation in the payments ecosystem, [and] remain dedicated to advancing the payments industry through the latest technology and security solutions.”
Karpin also thanked the outgoing Potter, whom he said would help to “[facilitate] the smooth transition of the business to Alan until [the year’s] end”.
◼️ Cover.Insure, a direct-to-consumer and fully digital insurance provider, has appointed Chris Rouse as its new Chief Executive.
In his new role, Rouse will focus on leveraging digital tools to enhance customer accessibility and streamline the insurance experience, Cover.Insure said.
The burgeoning insurer hailed Rouse’s extensive experience in technology leadership, cybersecurity, and insurance, with a “proven track record of driving strategic growth and operational excellence.”
The appointment of Rouse coincides with the company’s plans to broaden its insurance offerings in Australia, including new motor, home, contents, and pet insurance products. Cover.Insure recently introduced its first travel insurance product.
Rouse brings over two decades of experience in insurance and technology, having previously served as Executive General Manager – Technology at Steadfast Group, a leading general insurance broker network.
◼️ Allianz Australia has appointed Anthony Greenhill as its next Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
Allianz said Greenhill will play an instrumental role in supporting the business’s risk culture and commitment to compliance.
Allianz recognised Greenhill’s more than 25 years’ experience in senior risk and audit positions across the financial services sector.
Greenhill joins from the Commonwealth Bank, where he served more than two decades across a number of senior risk management, technology, and audit roles.
He replaces Tara Laybutt, who recently departed after securing a contract with the Bank of Queensland.
Before CBA, Greenhill served four years at Credit Suisse, leading country and global technology reviews.
◼️ Tasmanian mutual bank The Bank of Us had announced it will add 20 new jobs to its payroll to support business growth.
Bank of Us Chief Executive Paul Ranson said the new roles would be phased in over FY2025, adding capacity to key areas of the business.
“The existing team at Bank of Us has achieved great things, but we will need to scale up in key areas – such as technology – to support further growth,” he said.
Ranson added that the bank’s goal was to grow its Tasmanian market share using “personalised service and network of physical stores as points of difference, along with competitive rates on deposits and lending”.
“Bank of Us is keeping with the times with upgrades to internet banking and our app in the past 12 months,” Ranson said. “But we also appreciate many Tasmanians prefer face-to-face or phone banking support from locals.”
Bank of Us reported a record loan book growth of $172 million (to a total $1.44 billion) through FY2024 – an increase of 13.5 per cent on FY23.
The mutual banks counts more than 35,000 customers, seven retail stores across the state, and more than $1.73 billion in assets.
Board Appointments
◼️ Industry super fund Rest has appointed Inese Kingsmill as Director.
Kingsmill, who joins on 14 October in the employer-nominated position, replaces Sally Evans who retired from Rest board in July 2024.
Kingsmill was hailed as a successful business leader of 25 years, “known for her focus on growing businesses, technology and putting customers first”.
Rest Chair James Merlino welcomed Kingsmill as “an experienced Director who brings world-class digital transformation, marketing and customer-centric skills to the board of Rest”.
“This directly supports Rest’s mission to make the experience of super simple for our two million members,” he said.
Kingsmill previously held leadership positions at Microsoft, Telstra and Virgin Australia, with Rest noting her “deep experience” in transformation, culture change, customer experience, marketing and operating model design.
She also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of NobleOak and Bigtincan and was previously Chair of the Australian Association of National Advertisers.