Mineral lobbyist picked to run ABA

A long-serving industry lobbyist will take the helm at the Australian Bankers Association.

Stephen Munchenberg, 45, will start work as executive director at the ABA in early March. He replaces David Bell, who is leaving after 10 years.

Munchenberg joined National Australia Bank in early 2007 as group manager government and public policy, reporting to the bank's head of corporate affairs.

Before that he worked as deputy chief executive of the Business Council of Australia.

He joined the BCA from the Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation, where he served as CEO for much of the 1990s. The AMEEF was a not-for-profit company funded by large mining companies and engaged in development debates.

Munchenberg maintains a working interest in environmental matters. He is a non-executive director of Earth Systems Technologies, a consulting firm working in water treatment and related fields in Asia and Australia.