In an announcement to the Australian Stock Exchange, Westpac Group CEO Brian Hartzer has said Westpac Group’s Chief Operating Officer will be leaving the bank.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) John Arthur who joined Westpac in 2008, as Group Executive, Counsel and Secretariat, was appointed COO in December 2011 with a portfolio that included responsibility for Group technology. 

His current responsibilities span contact centres, procurement, property, analytics, banking operations, enterprise investments, compliance, legal and secretariat services.

In response to this change, CEO Brian Hartzer has also announced changes to the management of Arthur’s current portfolio following his retirement. This included elevating the role of Group General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer to the Executive Team.

Versatile Professional Moving Up

«As with any change, we have taken the opportunity to review our Executive Team’s responsibilities. I am delighted to announce that Rebecca Lim, (pictured below) the Group’s General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, will now join the Group Executive Team, reporting to me,» Hartzer commented.

Rebecca Lim 508

Lim was appointed Group General Counsel of Westpac in December 2011 and in 2013 took on responsibility for the Group’s Compliance portfolio. On joining Westpac in 2002, she worked across a number of legal teams, including Mergers & Acquisitions, Group Corporate and Treasury. She then held a number of senior positions in the Group, including Chief of Staff to the CEO, General Manager, St.George Private Clients and General Manager, Human Resources for the St.George Banking Group. 

Other Changes

Hartzer also announced changes designed to accelerate the delivery of the Group’s Service Revolution strategy, with Gary Thursby taking on the expanded role of Group Executive, Strategy, Transformation & Business Services, with responsibility for the organisation’s strategy and transformation portfolios.

In other changes announced, George Frazis, Chief Executive Consumer Bank, will take on responsibility for the Group’s contact centres. The new appointments and expanded roles are effective 1 October 2016.