Google boss joins ANZ

Maile Carnegie will be responsible for the strategic development and delivery of ANZ’s digital operations for its customers and staff, including digital projects, innovation and strategic relationships in the fintech sector.

She will also have shared responsibility of the major bank’s financial results for its Australia and New Zealand divisions, as well as its brand, advertising and sponsorship strategies.

Prior to her role at Google, Ms Carnegie spent more than 20 years working in various roles for Proctor & Gamble, including as managing director of its Australia and New Zealand operations, and as general manager for strategy, marketing and design in Asia.

ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott said Ms Carnegie’s appointment recognises that digital is central to driving revenue growth and successfully competing in “a changing and disrupted environment where technology and brand are key sources of differentiation”.

“Part of Maile’s role will also be to shift our thinking and champion a group-wide innovation culture at ANZ based on developing and attracting service-focused, technology-literate, innovative and experimental people and teams,” Mr Elliott said.

“This includes being the sponsor of a new Digital Business Transformation Leadership Program created jointly by ANZ and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”

Ms Carnegie said the direction ANZ wants to embark on convinced her to take the role.

“There is so much passion to change the bank, to really digitally transform the bank,” she said. “I’m really excited about the vision people like CEO Shayne Elliott have.

“You can really sense there’s a lot of energy to move the bank forward.”

Ms Carnegie said she aims to position the bank closer to its increasingly digital customer base, noting that a cultural transformation, as well as a structural one, will be a big part of the change.

“It’s the hardest thing to get right, but it’s also got the highest leverage,” she said. “The highest return on investment is getting that culture right.”

[Related: ANZ announces major executive changes]