New director joins the board of Bendigo Bank

Bendigo Bank has today approved the appointment of a new director to the Company’s board.

Ms Deborah Radford has been appointed as a non-executive director to the board of Bendigo Bank, the first new face on Bendigo’s board since the appointment of Queensland based directors Neal Axelby and Terry O’Dwyer as part of the First Australian Building Society merger in 2000.

Ms Radford is the first of two new directors to be appointed this year. The appointment of a second new director is well progressed, with an announcement anticipated in coming months.

Ms Radford is a former Executive Director of Firecone, a boutique transaction management and consultancy company, and currently works as an independent consultant.

She has extensive government experience at senior levels and more than 16 years’ experience in the banking sector, specialising in mergers, acquisitions and property transactions.

Her current directorships include Forestry Tasmania, Melbourne Market Authority, City West Water and from today, Bendigo Bank.

Bendigo Bank Chairman Richard Guy OAM said Ms Radford’s experience would be a welcome addition to the board, in particular her expertise in the areas of banking and finance and environmental sustainability.

“Although our core business continues to be banking, our Company has a strong reputation as a good corporate citizen, particularly in the areas of sustainable communities and the environment.

“Our work with communities in establishing community-owned bank branches, our growing suite of environmentally friendly products and our commitment to sustainable communities are all a good fit with Deborah’s skills base.”

”Board renewal is an important consideration of any company but in particular a company like Bendigo Bank which has undergone significant growth, especially during the past decade,” Mr Guy said.

“Today, Bendigo Bank is one of Australia’s top 150 companies; with a balance sheet which is four times larger; has five times more staff and a national distribution network.

“Bendigo Bank is poised for the next phase of our development and it is vital that we have directors with the requisite skills and experience to support this next phase,” he said.

Today’s appointment of Ms Radford follows many months of working with a specialist consultant in a bid to identify candidates who have the skills and cultural fit required to complement our current board of directors.