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​ANZ bank adds talent and culture exec as it continues digital transformation

The bank has made its third executive appointment this month, adding Kathryn van der Merwe to its digital transformation management.
Written by Asha Barbaschow, Contributor

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has announced the appointment of Kathryn van der Merwe as group executive Talent and Culture, who will focus on strengthening the bank from within as it continues its digital transformation.

With a PhD in Psychology from the University of New South Wales, van der Merwe joins ANZ from Bain & Company where she focused on organisational culture and capability, and the development and delivery of change strategies.

Reporting to ANZ chief executive officer Shayne Elliott, van der Merwe will play an integral role in driving organisational change, which Elliott believes is the key to digital transformation.

"Kathryn is a business and people leader who is uniquely suited to ANZ's 21st Century challenges," Elliott said. "Lower growth, technological change, heightened customer and community expectations, and increasing competition are necessitating rapid organisational change."

According to Elliott, culture, talent, and the engagement of the bank's people are the keys to unlocking ANZ's ability to adapt in the digital age.

"Kathryn's leadership skills and her experience in driving organisational change make her uniquely suited to creating further momentum around the transformation we need at ANZ," he said.

As ANZ's third executive appointment this month, van der Merwe will begin her new role on May 1, 2017.

Earlier this month, ANZ announced the appointment Lynwen Connick as its new chief information security officer, who in March will leave her role as first assistant secretary information sharing and intelligence at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to take up her new position.

Connick, who replaces former CISO Steve Glynn, will report to group executive technology Gerard Florian. Florian explained that Connick will be charged with ensuring the bank's information security strategy evolves with the changing technology landscape and supports the bank's digital transformation.

Emma Gray was also announced this month as joining the bank's technology executive team in the newly created role of chief data officer.

Reporting to group executive of Digital Banking Maile Carnegie, who joined ANZ from heading up Google Australia in March last year, Gray will also play a crucial role in ANZ's digital transformation strategy.

ANZ's company reshuffle was announced in September, after its COO Alistair Currie announced his departure.

In its 2016 financial results, ANZ posted AU$5.7 billion in statutory net profit, representing a 24 percent tumble year on year.

The bank attributed the profit dive to, amongst other things, its current focus on competing in the "digital age".

For the first quarter of the 2017 financial year, ANZ reported an 8 percent increase in statutory net profit to AU$1.6 billion.

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