BA, CA, GAICD, SF FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 8 February 2019
Member, Audit, Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee

Alan has over 40 years Australian and global experience in the banking, finance and securities Industry. His career includes 16 years at Citigroup and 10 years with the Australian Securities Exchange in senior executive finance and risk positions.

He is an experienced non- executive director and currently serves as Chair of Australian Military Bank as well being a non-executive director of FINSIA. FINSIA member since 12 October 1992.

Member, Director Nominations Committee

With more than 30 years of communication experience in Australia and internationally, Alasdair has managed corporate and investor communication programs for a broad range of organisations in diverse markets.

Alasdair Jeffrey is the Managing Director of Rowland, responsible for leading client offerings and internal operations.

Alasdair is an expert in the field of strategic corporate communication, and media and reputation management. He specialises in strategic issues management advice with an emphasis on listed companies and financial transactions. His knowledge of capital markets has allowed Alasdair to work on some of the most significant issues and transactions in Australia and internationally.

Alasdair has been a public affairs and issues management advisor to major corporations in Australia and the United Kingdom. He also worked in London as Executive Vice-President of Investor Relations for a global telecommunications equipment company listed in the FTSE-100 and on NASDAQ.

He previously held senior consulting positions in London and Brisbane. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the London Business School and is a Director of Independent Schools Queensland and St Peters Lutheran College.

BA, GDipAppFin (SecInst), MIB, FCG, FGIA, SF FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 27 May 2021
Member, Disciplinary Committee

Andrew McNeil has been a FINSIA member for over 20 years, and has over 30 years of diversified financial services experience, and 20 years of investment management experience throughout Australia and the United States.

He is founder of the Yarmouth Group of companies and provides corporate advice to middle market financial markets participants including AFSL holders and ASX listed companies. His clients include investment managers, fintech and proptech companies.

He is a former lecturer for the FINSIA Master of Applied Finance degree across real estate, investment management, strategic management and structuring financial products.

FINSIA member since 18 July 2002.

BA, DipBank, MInstD, SF FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 27 May 2021
Member, Audit, Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee
Member, Disciplinary Committee
Member, Nominations & Remuneration Committee

Carolyn Kidd is the Chief Risk Officer for Sky City Entertainment Group (effective 1 April 2023), having formerly been CRO for Westpac New Zealand and an experienced Financial Services Leader with a strong track record in transformation change, including leading culture and regulatory programmes.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the sector in New Zealand and Australia, she is passionate about risk management as a key enabler for strategic success and providing the best outcomes for customers, communities and stakeholders.

FINSIA member since 27 February 1991.

BEc, MHRM, DBA, CA, GAICD, SF FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 26 May 2022
Member, Nominations & Remuneration Committee

Chris is a highly experienced executive with over 35 years’ experience in banking, wealth management and insurance. She began her career at Deloitte, and has held senior management positions at Citigroup, ANZ, NAB and Australian Unity.

Chris’ signature approach to business is her focus on customer-centric strategy and business design. One of her proudest achievements was the founding of Women In Banking and Finance, a not-for-profit organisation that supports women in their careers.

In her most recent executive role, Chris was the CEO of the Retail Platform at Australian Unity, where she had accountability for the group's bank and private health insurance companies and retired from this executive role in March 2024. Chris has extensive Board experience, including Board positions on Australian Unity Bank Limited, Australian Unity Health Limited, JB Were and BNZ Life. She is also a member of the Sydney University Business School Advisory Board.

BComm, CA, GAICD, F FIN
PRESIDENT | Appointed 26 May 2022
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 28 May 2020
Chair, Nominations and Remuneration Committee
Member, Director Nominations Committee

David has more than 25 years’ experience in Australia, New York and the Middle East. David has a strong knowledge of the financial services sector, having worked with a broad cross section of the industry, including banks, brokers, exchanges, fintechs, leasing companies, payment providers, private equity and non bank financiers.

He is also a recognised regulatory expert, having advised a range of local and international banks.

David joined the FINSIA board on 28 February 2020 and was appointed as President on 26 May 2022. David has previously served as a member of the FINSIA Consumer Finance Advisory Group and as Chair of the FINSIA Institutional Markets Council.

FINSIA Member since 12 March 2004. 

BA, MBA, SF FIN
Member, Director Nominations Committee

David Gall is the Group Executive for Corporate and Institutional Banking (C&IB) at NAB. He has over 30 years of experience in corporate and retail banking, working capital services, risk and payments.

David leads a global team that provides market-leading expertise to publicly listed companies and large privately owned corporations. He is committed to helping customers prosper and contribute to the growth of the economy and local communities. David is also passionate about sustainability and aims to make NAB the leading Australian bank for global renewable transactions. He is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion and supports continuous learning opportunities for banking professionals.

David holds a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business and Master of Business Administration (Exec) and is a Senior Fellow of FINSIA.

I am an investment/governance professional with in depth financial and corporate governance experience as a buy-side equities analyst. I have managed policy engagement for the Australian Shareholders' Association, serving on ASX Corporate Governance Council at the introduction and subsequent reviews of the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations.

BComm, M App Fin, FCA, Chartered Banker, GAICD, SF FIN
VICE PRESIDENT | Appointed 20 April 2020
Member, Nominations & Remuneration Committee

Grant is the Executive General Manger, Business Lending at Common-wealth Bank of Australia with more than 20 years’ experience in business banking.

Grant led the Regional & Agribusiness Banking team for five years and was recently appointed to his new role in Business Lending. He has been with the Commonwealth Bank since 2005 leading product, operations and relationship teams in business banking. Prior to joining Commonwealth Bank, Grant was a General Manager with McCarroll Automotive Group and prior to that was a Senior Accountant at KPMG.

He is also a Director of the Australian Business Growth Fund (AGBF) and has also been a member of the CEO Circle since 2012. Grant Cairns joined the FINSIA Board in early June 2019 and then was appointed as Vice President to the FINSIA Board in April 2020.

FINSIA Member since 28 March 2019.

Chair, Disciplinary Committee

Karolina is a partner at Allen & Overy, in the capital markets team, and her expertise spans across the entire debt capital markets, acting in connection with secured (securitisation and covered bonds) and unsecured funding transactions. Karolina's experience extends to receivables and cash flow financing and general banking and finance.

Karolina specialises in securitisation and, with the introduction of enabling legislation, in covered bonds. She has significant experience across residential mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in domestic, US (both SEC-registered and Rule 144A offerings) and Euro markets, acting for all participants involved including originators, issuers, trustees and investors. Karolina has extensive experience across a range of asset classes including residential mortgages (prime, low doc and no doc), commercial property mortgages, reverse mortgages, credit cards, trade receivables, dealer floorplan financings, motor vehicle and equipment leases and hire purchases and chattel mortgages. She also has significant expertise acting for purchasers and sellers of pools of receivables (including securitised receivables) and securitised products.

BEc, CPA, F FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 26 May 2022
Member, Audit, Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee

Paul is the Chief Credit & Market Risk Officer at National Australia Bank with extensive experience across global markets, risk management, governance and financial markets infrastructure. Prior to joining NAB in 2016, Paul had a number of senior roles with Commonwealth Bank across financial markets, corporate finance and risk management. His earlier career included roles in both Australia and Asia with Bank of America, UBS and Midland Bank.

In terms of industry governance, Paul is a past Chairman of the Australian Financial Markets Association (AFMA), and served as a Director of CLS Group Holdings Limited. 

FINSIA member since 17 September 2021.

BEc, MBA, FCPA, SID, Certified Chair, GAICD, F FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 26 May 2022
Chair, Audit, Finance, Risk Management and Compliance Committee

Rod has worked in financial services and been a FINSIA member for 41 years, primarily with the Westpac Banking Group of companies.

For the last 21 years of his executive career, he has been a CFO or COO in various roles domestically and globally with the last eight years in Institutional Banking. Prior to that, his extensive experience has been in Retail and Business Banking at Westpac and St George Bank. While CFO at Westpac International, Rod had responsibility for teams in eight countries.

He is known for his integrity and strong business standards, has experience in leading large teams and building culture. And has significant experience in financial management and strategy.

Rod has 15 years experience as a director, beginning with RAMS Financial Group and then extending to Westpac and St George subsidiaries.

He is a director at Newcastle Greater Mutual Group and has expanded his director and advisor roles into other industries over the last three years.

B(AppSc)Land Economics, GAICD F FIN
BOARD MEMBER | Appointed 29 May 2023
Member, Disciplinary Committee

Vanessa has worked in the banking industry for over 20 years, predominantly in executive roles with the Commonwealth Bank, and most recently as the Chief Operating Officer and now Deputy CEO at the Australian Banking Association.

Vanessa’s executive experience spans banking, government, and not-for-profit sectors, holding roles in strategy, business transformation and organisational development predominantly with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. She previously held the position of the CEO for the YWCA NSW – leading a significant structure change from a federated model to a united national organisation. 

FINSIA member since 30 October 2019.

Chartered Banker SF FIN
BCOMM LLB FAICD
Chair, Director Nominations Committee

Victoria is a seasoned non-executive director with experience across a diverse range of business sectors built on senior executive experience in financial services, including Citigroup and Westpac.

Victoria is currently a director of listed companies, the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) and Alcidion Group (ASX:ALC), a leading healthcare technology provider. She also serves as the Chair of Pinnacle Housing Partnerships Limited, an AXA subsidiary.

Victoria is also the immediate past Deputy Chair of St George Community Housing (SGCH) having served on various SGCH Boards since 2013. Victoria has held numerous non-executive roles in State and Federal government bodies, on boards in financial services, public health, property and agriculture, and the not-for-profit sector. Victoria’s is a passionate advocate for gender equality and was inaugural Chair of the Australian Gender Equality Council.

Victoria was appointed to the Board of FINSIA in 2013, has also been the immediate past President of FINSIA