Auswide Bank announces commencement of new CEO

Auswide Bank has announced Snell’s commencement as its new managing director and chief executive following the retirement of Martin Barrett in December 2023.

Greg Kenny was the interim managing director and CEO until Snell’s commencement and will return to his position as a non-executive director on the Auswide Bank board.

Kenny assumed the role on 11 December and had joined the bank’s board of directors in November 2013, bringing with him an “extensive career with Westpac Banking Corporation and St.George Bank Ltd”, where he held the positions of managing director (NSW and ACT); general manager, corporate and business bank; and general manager, group treasury and capital.

The lender said Kenny was appointed to the interim positions to help support the executive leadership team and ensure a “smooth transition and handover” for when Snell would begin his new role.

Auswide Bank chair Sandra Birkensleigh thanked Kenny for his contributions to the organisation over the past four months.

“Mr Kenny’s valued contribution has enabled a smooth transition and handover as Mr Snell commences the role of managing director and chief executive officer,” Birkensleigh added.

“On behalf of my fellow directors, we welcome Mr Snell as the managing director and chief executive officer of Auswide Bank. Mr Snell is a very strong, capable, and inclusive leader with deep banking and financial services experience, and we are looking forward to the next chapter under his leadership.”

In its financial year 2023 annual report, Auswide Bank confirmed that Barrett would retire on 31 December 2023 after spending 10 years with the bank.

The non-major bank noted Snell’s background and career, which have spanned 25 years in domestic and international financial services. Snell was also the CEO of a niche financial services company StockCo until April this year.

Auswide Bank further noted Snell’s previous role as acting group executive for BOQ’s corporate banking business where he held balance sheet responsibilities and oversaw total assets under management of around $27 billion.

Snell reportedly played a crucial role in the delivery of major digital transformation projects with BOQ, which included the Financial Markets Digital project and the National Payments Platform project.

Snell was also the general manager, regional and agribusiness Queensland and the Northern Territory with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), head of global markets (Queensland), and head of global markets, Singapore and Hong Kong.

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