National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) today announced the following executive appointments:

• Angela Mentis has been appointed Group Chief Digital, Data & Analytics Officer. Ms Mentis is currently Bank of New Zealand Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
• Dan Huggins has been appointed Bank of New Zealand Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Mr Huggins is currently BNZ’s Executive – Customer, Products & Services.

Reporting to Group CEO Ross McEwan, Ms Mentis will work across NAB to deliver digital products and services for customers and colleagues. She will ensure the extensive data collected by NAB is used to create better customer experiences and deeper personalisation.

Mr McEwan said this new role and Ms Mentis’ appointment reflected the strategic importance and growth potential of NAB’s data and digital strategies.

“We are positioning NAB, our customers and our colleagues for an increasingly digital and automated world, leveraging the strength of our core banking businesses and the strong technology foundations we have in place,” he said.

“Customer expectations continue to rise as competition drives innovation. That means we need to be delivering a digital experience for our personal and business customers that compares with the best experiences they have with any company, not just a bank. Our bankers also deserve the best tools to make it easier for them to serve customers and spend more time with them to build even stronger relationships.

“I look forward to working with Angie in this role. She has delivered outstanding results during her time at BNZ. Angie’s clear understanding of what customers and bankers need, coupled with her extensive knowledge of how a bank and its technology works, make her the ideal person to lead the acceleration of our digital and data agenda.”

Ms Mentis said: “Customers want their banking to be simple, safe, smart and personalised. We also know they want insights to make their lives easier, help them grow and protect their finances and their businesses. This is an exciting opportunity to bring those elements together to create solutions for our customers and our bankers that rival the best experiences anywhere.”

Mr McEwan added: “I’m pleased to announce the appointment by the Bank of New Zealand Board of Dan Huggins as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BNZ – and to NAB’s Executive Leadership Team. Dan is a highly regarded, strategic leader with deep banking experience in Australia and New Zealand. He has played a key role, working with Angie, in delivering for our BNZ customers and colleagues.”

Mr Huggins said: “I’m excited about the opportunity to lead BNZ. We have a proud history of delivering New Zealand’s leading business and retail banking experiences and I’m looking forward to continuing to help our customers achieve their ambitions through world-class, modern banking.”

Ms Mentis and Mr Huggins will commence in their new roles on October 1, subject to regulatory approvals.

The ASX statement can be found here.

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Angela Mentis

Angela has more than 30 years’ banking experience. She was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) in January 2018. She has been a Director on the BNZ Board since December 2016. Angela was previously NAB’s Chief Customer Officer – Business and Private Banking, a position she held from August 2016. Prior to this Angela was NAB Group Executive, Business Banking from August 2014.

Angela has held senior positions at BT Financial Group, Westpac and Citibank Limited, after starting her career at Macquarie Bank. She holds a Bachelor of Business with a major in finance and economics and a sub-major in business law and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA) and a member of Chief Executive Women, Champions of Change and Global Women.

Dan Huggins

Dan Huggins has been the Executive – Customer, Products & Services at BNZ since March 2020, having returned home to New Zealand after 13 years overseas. Dan has 20 years of experience across a range of industries, including Banking, Retail, and Manufacturing. Prior to BNZ, Dan was at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), in Sydney, where, most recently, he held the role of Executive General Manager of Home Buying and was accountable for CBA’s home lending portfolio. Dan has also held roles at McKinsey & Company, Fonterra and ASB.

He holds an MBA, with distinction, from The Kellogg School of Management, and a Masters of Engineering Management from The McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, at Northwestern University in the USA. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) with a major in Accounting and Finance, from the University of Auckland.