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BNZ Leadership Team

Andrew Thorburn
Managing Director and CEO
A 'career Banker' with over twenty years' experience, Andrew joined BNZ as Managing Director and CEO in October 2008.

Andrew's early career was spent at MARAC, then ASB, where he worked for 10 years before moving on to senior roles at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and St George. He joined NAB in January 2005, and soon after became a Director of MLC - the wealth management division of NAB - a Directorship he held for three years. Most recently he was Executive General Manager of Retail Banking at NAB, leading a team of more than 10,000 people.

A member of the BNZ Board and the NAB Group Executive Committee, his role was expanded in March 2009 to include responsibility for nabAsia and Great Western Bank located in South Dakota, USA.

A Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) graduate from Auckland University, Andrew also holds an MBA from the University of Durham in the UK.

At BNZ, Andrew has committed himself to leading a company that will make its 5000 employees, customers, shareholders and the community 'better off'. His key drivers for delivering on this centre around: leadership and culture; customer focus or an outside in view; and innovation. This is coupled with an unwavering commitment to doing the basics of banking well and safe guarding the future of BNZ.

Ask about his leadership philosophy, and he'll tell you about his desire to bring both the 'plumbing' (the mechanics) and the 'poetry' (passion) to any leadership position. A believer in maintaining a good work-life balance, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family – including his three teenage children - and is a part-time 'garage' drummer.

Anthony Healy
Director, BNZ Partners

Anthony joined BNZ in November 2009 as Director – BNZ Partners, responsible for leading the bank’s business, corporate, markets, private banking, agribusiness and property teams.

Anthony brings considerable breadth and depth of experience across banking and financial services, having held a number of senior executive and director-level roles in an 18-year career that has spanned New Zealand, Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

A career banker, Anthony has spent the last 18 years with the ANZ Group, most recently as CEO of UDC Finance and prior to that as Deputy Group Managing Director of AmBank Group, Malaysia’s fourth-largest banking group. He was also a Director of AmBank's Investment bank, Commercial bank, Insurance company and Funds Management business.

Anthony returned to New Zealand in 2008, having previously led ANZ's Corporate Banking business in Auckland.
Chris Bayliss
Director, Retail
A 'career banker' with over 26 years' experience gained in the UK and New Zealand, Chris was appointed Director, Retail Banking in April 2007.

Chris began his banking career in the United Kingdom, with Barclays Bank, where he developed broad experience in personal banking, business banking and credit risk management. Chris joined the NAB Group in 1995 as a Business Banking Manager for Yorkshire Bank. He has held a variety of senior roles in both the UK and New Zealand including Head of Credit (Clydesdale Bank), Head of Operational Risk (Europe), General Manager Risk Management (Bank of New Zealand), Chief Operating Officer (Yorkshire Bank), Chief Risk Officer (UK) and General Manager Technology and Operations (Bank of New Zealand).

In his current role as Director, Retail Banking, Chris has responsibility for the provision of banking products and services to all personal customers. Chris is an associate member of the UK Chartered Institute of Bankers (ACIB) and the New Zealand Institute of Directors. Chris holds an MBA from Sheffield University in the UK.

Asked about his leadership philosophy, Chris will tell you his number one priority is to build competitive advantage by allowing his staff within the BNZ stores and contact centres the freedom to continually surprise and delight customers. His business philosophy is very simply, never lose sight of the customer.

Chris has made New Zealand his home, along with his wife and two daughters. Outside of work, he enjoys keeping fit, making the most of the terrific skiing New Zealand has on offer, playing tennis and spending time with his family.
Louise Harvey-Wills
Director, People
Louise took on the role of General Manager – People & Culture (now Director, People) for BNZ in mid June 2009. Together with the business leads, she proudly leads the strategic direction for BNZ's People business unit, spanning culture, employee engagement, capability development, succession, talent pipeline and performance and rewards.

Louise's career in human resources and management consulting has taken her on a journey through New Zealand, Asia, Channel Islands (British Isles) and Botswana. Louise brings with her a wealth of experience together with excellent strategic capability, strong commercial focus, passion for connecting with people and ability to help organisations evolve.

Over the last seven years, Louise has held a number of roles at Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited. The most recent was GM Human Resources – Ingredients and Global Trade which included full HR responsibility for Europe, Latin America, Central America, Japan, Korea, Singapore and NZ Ingredient and GlobalTrade operations.

Previous roles at Fonterra included HR Manager – Global Sales Network, Regional HR Manager Asia, and HR Manager for Supply and Optimisation Planning. Prior to this, Louise was a consultant for Transend Worldwide Limited in Botswana and the Channel Islands, and worked across a number of entities including Express Logisitics, Datamail and New Zealand Post.

Louise has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management (endorsed in HR).

Originally from Southland, Louise is now based in Wellington with her family and works out of BNZ's Harbour Quays facility. Outside of work, she enjoys family time (especially in the outdoors), home renovation and is a classic car enthusiast.
Martin Philipsen
Chief Risk Officer (CRO)
Martin joined BNZ in 1990 and has held various senior positions in Treasury and Wholesale Banking. Martin was also the Chief Financial Officer for BNZ and spent time in Australia with NAB before being appointed Chief Risk Officer for BNZ in 2006.

Prior to joining BNZ, Martin worked in London with Arthur Young and Kleinwort Benson, where his interest in banking developed.

With over 20 years' banking experience, Martin has developed extensive banking knowledge with particular expertise in treasury, risk management and finance.

Together with his team, Martin is responsible for providing sound risk management to BNZ including the core risk areas of credit, operations, compliance, market, balance sheet, regulatory relations and major risk projects, such as Basel II.

Martin is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Victoria University, Wellington and is a Chartered Accountant.

It is important to Martin that he and his team enjoy a healthy work/life balance. Outside work he enjoys the ‘beautiful game' (soccer), tennis, trout fishing, music and spending quality time with his wife and three teenage children.
Stephen Mockett
Chief Operating Officer
Stephen returned to New Zealand in June 2009 to take up the position of General Manager – Banking Delivery Services (BDS). Soon after, he accepted the role of Chief Operating Officer, heading up our newly integrated BDS and Strategy and Marketing (S&M) functions.

BDS is responsible for the Bank’s technology, customer and corporate services, payments, fraud and security services, and for ensuring the integrated delivery of customer focused support services. S&M manages the Bank's strategies and new business development, marketing communication and brand, product and channel management, sales and service strategies, internal and external communications.

Prior to joining BNZ, Stephen was Executive General Manager Corporate Services and General Counsel for Downer EDI Limited, an ASX top 100 engineering services company. Previous senior roles with Downer include GM Organisation and Executive Development, GM Bitumen Supply Ltd and Executive GM Human Resources, Marketing, Legal Affairs and Procurement. Prior to Downer, his career spanned senior management consultant roles with Morgan & Banks New Zealand, and Watson Wyatt. Stephen was a co-founder and Director of The Swann Group New Zealand Ltd - a consulting firm specialising in succession transitions for SME owners.

He is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, a Barrister and Solicitor admitted to the High Court of New Zealand and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Canterbury.

A family man, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two daughters. He is looking forward to reacquainting himself with the beautiful waters of the Hauraki Gulf and teaching his daughters to sail.
Ken Christie
Chief Financial Officer
Ken joined BNZ in June 2007 as Chief Financial Officer. Ken has responsibility for the collation, analysis and reporting of BNZ finances, including all aspects of tax, treasury and financial governance. Prior to this role, Ken was Chief Risk Officer for nabCapital, managing a team of risk professionals involved in the delivery of Operational Risk, Regulatory Compliance and Credit Risk in Australia, New Zealand, UK and the USA.

Ken's career has seen him holding positions with National Australia Bank in Group and Australian Treasury and Risk Management. His career has been international having worked in banking, finance and consulting roles at a number of global financial institutions in Europe, Asia, USA and Australia.

In between spending time with his wife Clare, and daughter Olivia, Ken manages to compete in motor racing events, with Targa NZ as his favourite event.

He has a degree in Banking and Finance from Victoria University in Melbourne, an MBA from Melbourne Business School and is a graduate of the Advanced Management programme at Harvard Business School in the USA.