Our Board of Directors oversee the strategic direction of Defence Bank, and ensure our statutory and legal requirements are met. Directors serve a term of three years, with elections held annually and are announced at the Annual General Meeting held in November.
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Bruce MurphyBSc, MCom, PGD, GAICD Chair of the Board Term of Office Current Committee Roles Skills and experience Bruce’s senior management career began as a Director, Retail Distribution at Deutsche Asset Management from 2000 to 2004. He then became an executive director with Macquarie Group (2004 to 2009) where he was responsible for local and global distribution of funds management products. Bruce was Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Management from 2009 to 2015, responsible for the Australian Investment Management Business and then lead Insight Investment’s business for Australia and New Zealand until August 2024 when he retired from full time executive work. |
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Joan FitzpatrickBA (Hons) LLB, ANZIIF Fellow, CIP, FAICD Director
Current Committee Roles Other Directorships Skills and experience Originally qualified as a barrister, Joan’s management career began at 20th Century Fox’s fastmoving consumer goods enterprise in London. She went on to hold senior management roles in heavy manufacturing industries, large start-up projects in Europe, and international insurance operations in Asia. For more than 16 years, she worked as CEO and Director of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance & Finance. Joan currently works within a diverse portfolio of non-executive director roles, and consults across a wide range of organisations in the areas of strategic planning, leadership, governance and risk. She is often called upon to work with teams to address governance issues and create frameworks to meet best practice standards and regulatory compliance requirements. |
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Vicki HartleyBA (Hons), FCA, GAICD Director
Current Committee Roles Other Directorships Skills and experience She possesses strong technical skills in implementing new accounting standards and regulatory requirements, as well as direct exposure to fintech innovations in the mortgage industry. Vicki is also deeply committed to community-focused work, contributing her expertise to purpose-driven organisations alongside her commercial responsibilities. Vicki has close family currently serving in the Australian Defence Force. |
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Air Commodore Jeffrey Howard OAMFIEAust, CPEng, GAICD, BE, MCom, MA, psc(j) Director
Current Committee Roles Skills and experience Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), a Master of Commerce (Accounting), a Master of Arts (Strategy and Management), and a Certificate IV in Business Coaching. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, Fellow and Chartered Professional Engineer with Engineers Australia, and a Graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College. Combining his skills, knowledge and experience, Jeffrey has served on a number of community, national, and international boards and committees, including an appointment as the Deputy Chair of the Engineers Australia Civil College Board. |
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Anne MyersMBA (AGSM), FAICD Director
Current Committee Roles Other Directorships Skills and experience Her most recent executive roles were as Chief Operating Officer of ING Direct, and interim CEO for United Way. Anne’s combination of strong digital and technology skills, coupled with exceptional risk management and strategy experience, enables her to bring a unique perspective to her board roles and to add value across a variety of industries. With more than 30 years’ experience in the finance industry, Anne provides a sound understanding of the legislative and regulatory requirements of retail banking. |
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Pam RebeccaBBus (Accy) (with Distinction), MBA, GAICD Director
Current Committee Roles Other Directorships Skills and experience Pam's experiences in digital transformation and strategy across multiple sectors are coupled with over 25 years in retail banking. This has equipped her with a broad range of skills including leading large customer service operations and as a banker working directly with customers. Her many roles in banking have enabled Pam to build a strong understanding of the breadth of retail banking operations alongside the risk and regulatory framework within which retail banks operate. |
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Rear Admiral Letitia van Stralen, AM, CSC, Royal Australian NavyMMilLaw, GCDefStatStud, GDLegalPrac, GDMilLaw, BLaws, GAICD Director
Current Committee Roles Skills and experience Tish has a breadth of experience across Defence as a Maritime Warfare Officer in seagoing roles, as a Command Legal Advisor and in Human Resource Management. She is a graduate of the Australian War College, Defence Strategic Studies Course. Tish has been deployed on operations in the Middle East. She holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, a Graduate Diploma in Military Law, a Master of Military Law and has a Graduate Certificate in Defence Strategic Studies. |