Westpac NZ Welcomes Two New Executives

Westpac NZ has announced the appointment of Tania O’Brien to the role of Chief Financial Officer and Martin Gaskell to the role of Chief Transformation Officer.

Westpac NZ Chief Executive Catherine McGrath said Ms O’Brien and Mr Gaskell would provide valuable expertise.

“These are two extremely important roles that are central to what we do as a bank and where we want to go in the future. I look forward to Tania and Martin applying their deep knowledge of the banking industry to help us deliver great things for our customers.”

Ms O’Brien joins Westpac NZ after a successful career with ANZ where she has held a range of senior executive finance roles. Currently based in Singapore, Ms O’Brien has a track record of leading culturally diverse teams in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia Pacific.

Ms McGrath said she was highly regarded for her technical competency, strategic and commercial mindset, and execution capability. Ms O’Brien will begin at Westpac NZ on March 7.

Mr Gaskell is a qualified accountant. He started his career with the Ford Retail Group in the UK, before moving to New Zealand and BNZ in 2007 where he was Chief Operating Officer for BNZ Partners, and then Director of Customer Fulfilment Services.

Ms McGrath said Mr Gaskell designed and led the largest operating model change in BNZ’s recent history to deliver strategic and customer outcomes. He left BNZ in 2018 and set up a consultancy. He will begin working at Westpac NZ on February 8.

Ms O’Brien will take over from Kerry Conway, who has been Acting Chief Financial Officer, and Mr Gaskell will take over from Su Duffey, who has been Acting Chief Transformation Officer.

Both appointments are subject to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand having no objections and any other regulatory approvals. The appointments follow Ian Hankins’ move in November from the position of Chief Financial Officer to his new role as General Manager of Consumer Banking and Wealth.

Full details of the Westpac NZ executive team can be found at: https://www.westpac.co.nz/about-us/executive-team/

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