Rob Hunt, managing director of Bendigo Bank will head the merged "Bendigo and Adelaide Bank" for a transitional period and then retire in July 2009.Jamie McPhee, Adelaide Bank's managing director, will be responsible for wholesale banking services and also serve on the board. He will be "in an excellent position to succeed" Hunt as managing director according to the banks.Mike Hirst, Bendigo Bank's chief operating officer, will run the retail banking business. Bendigo, rather than Adelaide, is the only one of the two with any growth plans in this area and then largely thanks to the spread of Community Banking branches. Twenty-five more are due to open over the next year.