Our Board
CUA’s Board is elected by and is accountable to our members. It is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of our business. Our Board comprises directors with a diverse range of backgrounds and financial skills.
Our Board directors are:
A E Beanland B. Sc., FAICD
Chairman and independent non-executive director
Mr Beanland joined the Board in September 2009 and was elected Chairman in November 2009. His business experience spans four continents and exceeds four decades with wide experience as a director on diverse boards. Mr Beanland has extensive experience in a number of industry sectors including financial services, superannuation, life insurance, property and technology. He is currently a director of Colonial Foundation and held senior executive positions with Colonial Mutual for 16 years following which he has held a number of Board positions such as Chairman of Superpartners (2006 to 2012), Non Executive Director ASX Listed Spotless (2008 to 2012). In addition to his role as Chairman of the Board, Mr Beanland is also Chairman of the Board Remuneration and Strategy Consultative Committees.
N I Ampherlaw B.Com., ACA
Independent non-executive director
Mr Ampherlaw was appointed a director in 22 March 2011. He is a chartered accountant by profession. He was a Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers for 22 years where he held a number of leadership positions, including heading the financial services audit, business advisory services and consulting businesses. He also held a number of senior client Lead Partner roles. Mr Ampherlaw has extensive experience in risk management, technology, consulting and auditing for financial services institutions in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Since joining CUA he has been a member of the Board Audit and Risk Committee and the CUA Director Nominations’ Committee (DNC). In 2012 Mr Ampherlaw will chair the Board Risk Committee and will be a member of the Board Strategy Consultative Committee, the Board Audit Committee and the DNC.
P J Bedbrook B.Sc., FSIA, GAICD.
Independent non-executive director
Mr Bedbrook joined the Board on 3 July 2011. He was an executive with Dutch global banking, insurance and investment group ING for 26 years holding a number of senior positions in the decade to 2010 including: President and CEO, INGDIRECT, Canada; CEO and Director of ING Australia, and; Regional CEO, ING Asia Pacific, Hong Kong. Prior to that, Mr Bedbrook was General Manager Investments & Chief Investment Officer for the Mercantile Mutual (ING) Group in Sydney. Mr Bedbrook has over thirty years experience in financial services, specifically across the areas of banking, insurance and investment management. He is a member of the Board Remuneration Committee and a director of Credicorp Insurance Pty Ltd and CUA Health Ltd.
P G Dowling AM, BA (Acc), FCPA, FAICD
Independent non-executive director
Mr Dowling has been a credit union director for more than seven years and was previously a partner of international accounting firm Ernst & Young. He is a Fellow of CPA Australia, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and The Australian Institute of Company Directors and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007. He is a director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Infrastructure and Engineering Asset Management, CPA Australia, the Credit Union Foundation of Australia, Lexon Insurance, Superior Coal, SPYRUS and Virgin Blue’s aircraft leasing subsidiaries and is the Queensland Honorary Consul for Botswana. He is also the Chair of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s Audit and Risk Committee, Chair of the Queensland Transport and Main Road’s Audit and Risk Committee and the Queensland Water Commission’s Audit and Risk Management Committee. Mr Dowling is a member of the Board Strategy Consultative Committee and a Director of CUA Health.
E A Foster B.Bus.(Accounting), FCPA, GAICD, MAMI
Independent non-executive director
Ms Foster has been a credit union director for 20 years. She was a director of the Australian National Credit Union (ANCU) before it merged with CUA in 2006. She is a self-employed accountant who has extensive experience in finance, previously working for Telstra in senior management positions. She was also Chief Finance Officer at CPA Australia, a finance consultant at the Catholic Education Office and CEO of RACV Credit Union. Ms Foster is Chair of the Board Audit and Risk Committee and a director of Credicorp Insurance Pty Ltd.
C M Greer LLB, Grad.Dip. Legal.Prac. GAICD, MAMI
Independent non-executive director
Ms Greer has been a credit union director for more than seven years. A lawyer by profession, Ms Greer practised family and criminal law and civil litigation before working in stockbroking and the hospitality and marketing industries. She is a member of the Board Audit and Risk Committee at CUA and was recently appointed to the Board Remuneration Committee. During the 2010/11 financial year she was a director of CUA Financial Planning Pty Ltd, CUA Health Ltd and Credicorp Insurance Pty Ltd. She has been a director of Queensland Events Corporation and Chair of Restaurant and Catering Queensland, Brisbane Branch. Ms Greer has also acted in an advisory capacity to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.
M Pratt SF Fin, GradDip(Org Beh),FAICD, FAIM, FAHRI, AMP (Harvard)
Independent non-executive director
Michael has an extensive career in banking and wealth management throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Most recently, he was CEO of Consumer and SME Banking, North East Asia with Standard Chartered Bank based in Shanghai. He is a former President of the Australian Institute of Banking & Finance and was the Inaugural Joint President of Finsia.
Michael’s other previous roles include senior executive positions as Group Executive of Westpac Australia Consumer & Business Banking, CEO National Australia Bank, Australia and CEO, Bank of New Zealand. In all these roles he has driven major change, delivering strong financial results and much improved customer service across multiple channels.
C M Whitehead B.Sc (Hons), FAICD
Chief Executive Officer
Chris joined CUA in August 2009, bringing the benefit of over 25 years of experience in a broad range of organisations and roles. He commenced his career in the IT industry in the UK and quickly progressed from technical and project management roles into sales, marketing and product management, mainly working with banks and building societies. After migrating to Australia in 1989, Chris moved into General Management roles, including establishing a new Australian subsidiary for an international IT services provider. In 1994 Chris joined Advance Bank in Sydney as Chief Information Officer, moving to BankWest in Perth in the same role in 1998. His role in BankWest broadened to include payments business responsibility and responsibility for innovation strategies and the establishment of a number of new businesses. In 2001 Chris was appointed as Chief Executive of Retail Banking and led a significant and highly successful business transformation program. Through a highly innovative national expansion, coupled with a strong focus on customer service, BankWest's retail assets doubled over five years to over $20 billion with significantly increased market share and strong growth in profitability. In 2007 Chris was seconded to the Bank of Scotland based in Glasgow to gain international retail banking experience with responsibility for a network of over 150 branches and over 2,000 staff. Chris has served on a range of Boards as a director in the banking, financial planning, funds management and general insurance industries; as well as community and charitable organisations. Chris is currently a director of CUA Limited, a number of CUA subsidiaries and also of Cuscal Limited.
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