Bendigo tweaks a few corporate reporting lines as execs depart
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's managing director wrapped up his set-piece half year results presentation yesterday by explaining how the bank's corporate structure had been rearranged, and that there was a refresh underway in the bank's c-suite.The major change was that all "customer facing areas have been realigned into one area," under Marnie Baker. The rationale for this move, as outlined by Hirst outlined, was that customers often dealt with the bank two or three different ways and the bank wanted to deliver the same "customer experience" each time. He added that the "mobile channel" was becoming the most important link between customers and the bank.In other changes, there was a new CEO for the agribusiness division, taking over in October 2015 after the departure of Paul Hutchison, who was there for nine years. Hutchison's place has been taken by the well-credentialled Alexandra Gartmann, who has a strong background in running rural and regional organisations, as well as sitting on the boards of several industry policy and research bodies.BEN has also hired Bruce Speirs to take control of its revamped third party and wealth businesses. Hirst says Speirs would be expected "to refocus that business around the key opportunities that came available" in the sector.Hirst also took the opportunity to thank Dennis Bice, head of the retail bank. Bice will be finishing up halfway through the 2016 calendar year after 41 years with the bank in its various iterations.