ANZ announces leadership team for Asia Pacific, Europe and America

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has announced the leadership team for its Asia Pacific, Europe and America division reporting to CEO of Asia Pacific, Europe and America Alex Thursby after reaching an agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, or RBS, earlier in August 2009 to acquire selected RBS businesses in Asia.

Alistair Bulloch, who is currently Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's (ANZ's) CEO for northeast Asia, has been appointed as deputy CEO for Asia Pacific, Europe and America.

In this Hong Kong-based role, he will take a leading role in building and managing relationships with the government, regulators, partners and clients. This appointment will be effective from early 2010.

Craig Sims, who is currently CEO for the Pacific region, has been appointed as head of integration for the RBS acquisition, based in Singapore. Integration plans for the six markets are well advanced to ensure a smooth transition once regulatory approvals are obtained in each market, said ANZ.

Gilles Plante, who is currently managing director for ANZ global markets, has been appointed as CEO for northeast Asia, Europe and America, based in Hong Kong. Mr Bulloch will continue to act in the role until Mr Plante commences in Hong Kong in early 2010.

Michael Rowland has been appointed to the role of CEO for the Pacific region, based in Melbourne. Mr Rowland is currently CFO and general manager of strategy and marketing in ANZ's institutional division, and was previously managing director of mortgages for ANZ. He will commence in the Pacific role in mid-November 2009 and in the meantime Mr Sims will continue to serve as CEO of Pacific in addition to his role as head of integration.

Wendy Lim has been appointed as managing director of retail banking and wealth products for Asia Pacific. Ms Lim joins ANZ from RBS where she is currently head of retail banking for greater China and southeast Asia. Ms Lim's start date with ANZ will be confirmed in the coming months as the acquisition is completed in key markets.

Jos Dijsselhof has been appointed as general manager of operations for Asia Pacific, Europe and America, based in Singapore. He is currently head of group operations for RBS and has held a number of senior operations leadership roles in Asia and the Netherlands after joining RBS (formerly ABN Amro) in 1993.

ANZ's former general manager of operations for Asia Pacific, Europe and America, Ross Foden has been appointed as COO for its strategic partner in Malaysia, AmBank, commencing September 1, 2009. Mr Dijsselhof's start date with ANZ will be confirmed in the coming months as the acquisition is completed in key markets.

Sandeep Ghosh will join ANZ as managing director of commercial for Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, to build this segment for ANZ upon the foundation provided by the RBS businesses being acquired. He is currently executive vice president and head of commercial banking for Asia with RBS. He will report to Mark Whelan. Mr Whelan immediately adds the commercial segment to his business as managing director of institutional and commercial operations for Asia Pacific, Europe and America. Mr Ghosh's start date with ANZ will be confirmed in the coming months as the RBS acquisition is completed in key markets.

ANZ said that it has created a new Indochina sub-region in south and southeast Asia to better reflect and support the business, investment and people linkages between Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Thuy Dam has been appointed as CEO for Indochina in addition to her current role as CEO for Vietnam. She will continue to report to the CEO of south and southeast Asia.

RBS's Taiwan country head Terry King will be appointed as CEO of Taiwan for ANZ post completion of the acquisition in that market. He has been country head in Taiwan since 2001 and brings 29 years of experience in this key market. The acquisition includes the RBS retail, wealth and commercial businesses in Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong and the institutional businesses in Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals in each market with completions anticipated progressively from late 2009. The appointments from RBS are future appointments which are subject to relevant regulatory approvals.

Mr Thursby said: "We are appointing several experienced Asian bankers from RBS along with additional talented ANZ leaders to create the leadership team that will take our business through the next phase of growth in Asia Pacific.

"The acquisition of these RBS businesses is a further stepping stone in our super regional strategy and it is pleasing to create a leadership team of this caliber which harnesses senior talent from both organizations."

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