Nigel Williams appointed Chief Risk Officer

- Chris Page to retire after a distinguished 39-year career in banking -

ANZ today announced the appointment of Nigel Williams as Chief Risk Officer and a member of the ANZ Management Board reporting to Chief Executive Officer Mike Smith.

Mr Williams is a career banker with extensive experience in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Since 2008, he has been Managing Director, Institutional Australia having previously held the role of Managing Director, Institutional, Corporate and Commercial Banking in New Zealand. He joined ANZ in 2004 following the acquisition of The National Bank of New Zealand where he held various Credit, Markets, Treasury and Operational roles within the Lloyds TSB Group.

Mr Williams’ appointment is subject to regulatory approvals and effective following the planned retirement of Chris Page who has been Chief Risk Officer at ANZ since 2008. Mr Page joined ANZ from HSBC where he was Chief Credit Officer, Asia Pacific. During a distinguished 39-year career in banking, Mr Page has worked across five continents and held a number of honorary positions including Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Following his retirement on 16 December 2011, Mr Page will remain available to provide specialist advice to ANZ and it is intended that he will represent ANZ on the boards of a number of ANZ’s partnership banks in Asia.

Commenting on Mr Williams’ appointment, Mr Smith said: “We are very pleased to have Nigel succeed Chris. He’s a career banker with international experience and a strong track record in credit and markets risk. Nigel is ideally qualified to build on the strong risk foundation established by Chris over the past four years.

“I also want to acknowledge Chris’s contribution to ANZ and to the risk management profession in the region. He has worked with me at both ANZ and HSBC and in my view he’s the outstanding risk officer in Asia Pacific.

“Chris was appointed Chief Risk Officer at a difficult time in 2008. Through his professionalism, dedication and energy Chris has transformed ANZ’s risk function and established the risk foundation to support ANZ’s super regional strategy.

“We thank him for his contribution and I am pleased we will continue to have the benefit of his involvement, particularly with our partnerships, for some time to come,” Mr Smith said. 

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