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The next chair of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's board's priority will be maintaining the "enviable position" on trust with communities, customers and stakeholders.
Jacqueline Hey - a board member since 2011 - observed the fallout from the 2018 royal banking commission, which recommended a sweeping overhaul of the Australian financial services sector to improve the way customers were treated.
Bendigo Bank's community-centric approach to its work had been validated through that time, she said.
"It's about making sure we focus on the prosperity of our customers and communities and that our success will follow from that," Ms Hey said.
"That's something that was there when I came but it is even more important today than it's ever been - and it will be, going forward."
Trust was something banks needed to work on everyday, she said.
"But I think one thing for us, which is a competitive advantage, is that we are the only major bank that is headquartered in regional Australia," Ms Hey said.
"So it means we are closely connected with our customers and community. We are hearing directly, all the time, feedback from those people who rely on us."
Keeping the bank's connection would be another priority during her time as chair, Ms Hey said.
So too would be innovation in a period when banks were embracing new financial technology to compete with traditional services.
The bank was the first in Australia to host a fully cloud-hosted bank, called Up.
"We've had some very good customer growth, based on that," she said.
The Bendigo Bank was also the first to introduce the world's only fully digital home loan platform.
Earlier
BENDIGO and Adelaide Bank will welcome a new chair of its board later this year.
Jacqueline Hey will succeed Robert Johanson after the annual meeting on October 29.
Mr Johanson will retire from the board after 31 years as a director, the past 13 as chair.
Ms Hey joined the Board of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank in 2011. Before then, she was chief executive of Ericsson in the UK and Australia.
She is a non-executive director of Qantas, AGL and Cricket Australia.
Ms Hey said she looked forward to the new role.
"I am honoured to be appointed by the Board as Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's new chair and am excited by the opportunity to continue to drive our competitive market position and prosperity for our customers and shareholders and their communities," she said.
"I look forward to working with everybody connected with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank as we strive to be Australia's bank of choice."
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Mr Johanson said he was delighted with Ms Hey's appointment.
"She has great business experience and now with deep knowledge of the business and effective engagement with our key stakeholders," he said.
"This will ensure we continue to deliver better outcomes for staff, customers, partners and shareholders."
More to come
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