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Executive team
Rob Coombe - Chief Executive Officer
Rob joined Westpac with the acquisition of BT in 2002 and has 23 years experience in banking and finance. He was appointed CEO of BT in January 2005 and leads a team of almost 3000 people.
Rob started with BT in 1991 and has held a number of positions, including Senior Legal Counsel, Head of Bankers Trust International Funds Management business and CEO of Bankers Trust Funds Management business in Malaysia.
Rob has led the development, packaging, distribution, administration and service of BT’s range of retail and institutional products, margin lending, corporate super, discount broking and wrap businesses.
Rob has a Law degree and is a board member of Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA).
Tony Forward - Chief Information Officer
Tony heads BT’s Information Technology group responsible for ensuring a coordinated approach to technology management across BT.
Tony joined the company in 1990 and has 20 years experience in information technology. He has held a number of management appointments at BT, most recently as Manager of Systems Engineering and Head of IT Infrastructure.
Tony has responsibility for BT’s internal and external technology innovation and development and leads a team of approximately 400 people.
Prior to joining BT, Tony had worked for Westpac and in the oil and publishing industries. Tony is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Shenaz Khan – Head of People and Performance
Shenaz is responsible for leading the People and Performance team.
Having 15 years business experience across the wealth management and life insurance businesses, and 8 years experience overall leading HR teams, Shenaz is accountable for culture, employee relations, training and development, remuneration and performance management across BT.
Shenaz has completed the Executive MBA Program and received the EOWA award for the “Most Promising Person for the Advancement of Women” in Australia in 2003.
Mark Spiers - General Manager - Advice
Mark leads the Advice business, which comprises Westpac Financial Planning, Magnitude Financial Planning and Advice Services.
Mark has more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry and joined BT in 2005 to lead the establishment and growth of Magnitude, our external financial planning arm. He has held a number of senior executive positions in the industry and is actively involved with the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA). Mark is currently Deputy Chair of the FPA and Chair of the Legislation and Regulation Committee which advises the FPA Board on policy matters
John Frechtling - General Manager, Finance and Risk Solutions
John Frechtling has been with the Westpac Banking Corporation since 1992 when he joined the business as a financial controller in New Zealand. Over the past 16 years, he has held several key strategic and leadership positions with the company, including General Manager, Finance Business Services; Chief Financial Officer, Business and Consumer Banking; and Chief Financial Officer, Consumer Financial Services.
John joined the BT Senior Management Team in May 2008, after 2 years as Chief Financial Officer of Westpac’s Consumer Financial Services business, having previously served as BT’s Chief Financial Officer in 2004.
John is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in New Zealand and Australia. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Dirk Morris - General Manager - Investment Management
Dirk has responsibility for BT’s proprietary investment capabilities, as well as institutional distribution, leading a team of more than 100 professionals spread across the various asset classes.
Dirk has had an extensive international career with JP Morgan and Putnam Investments. He has also worked with the Reserve Bank in Australia and with BT in the mid-nineties. Dirk re-joined BT in October 2006.
Dirk holds a Ph.D. in international finance.
Mark Smith - General Manager - Insurance
Mark was appointed General Manager, BT Insurance in December 2007. He is responsible for BT’s consolidated insurance business, incorporating Westpac Life Insurance Services, Westpac General Insurance and Westpac Lenders Mortgage Insurance.
Before stepping into this role, Mark was Head of BT Life Insurance. He began his career with BT in 1993 and has held a number of senior management positions, including Chief Executive of BT Funds Management New Zealand and Head of BT Wrap.
Mark has also held roles in BT Funds Management Australia and BT Portfolio Services.
John Shuttleworth - General Manager – Super & Integrated Marketing Solutions
John is responsible for BT’s superannuation business, as well as the marketing functions that support BT as a whole. Prior to taking over the Super & Integrated Marketing business in April 2007, John led BT’s marketing function before managing the creation of BT Super for Life.
John has spent over 20 years in marketing and management related roles. After completing a Commerce Degree at the University of NSW, John began his marketing career in the consumer goods industry working for Unilever, Reckitt & Colman and The Smiths Snackfood Company.
John has experience working in marketing and general management roles with both large and smaller entrepreneurial organisations. In 1994, he joined Kosiusko Thredbo, owners and operators of Thredbo Alpine Village, as Marketing Director. Prior to joining BT in May 2004, John co-founded a web-development technology company, XT3.
Jan Swinhoe – General Manager – Private Bank
Jan Swinhoe heads the Westpac Private Bank business within BT. Jan has significant prior experience in derivatives, capital markets (both domestic and offshore) and corporate relationship management.
Jan joined Westpac in late 1994 and her role prior to BT was as the General Manager, Large Corporates in Westpac’s Corporate & Institutional Banking business. Jan headed a team of approximately 80 corporate bankers globally, who manage a portfolio of clients in the Consumer, Industrials, Property, Energy and Resources sectors.
Jan has a Bachelor of Science with honours majoring in Pure Mathematics, as well as completing actuarial studies through the Institute of Actuaries in London.
David Lees - General Manager Wrap & Investment Solutions
David took responsibility for Wrap & Investment Solutions in April 2007, where he runs BT's platform and investment selection businesses.
David joined BT in October 2005 as Chief Financial Officer, responsible for providing strategic financial direction for BT. David has been with the Westpac Banking Corporation since 1997, when he joined The Mortgage Company, working on third-party distribution. He has held a number of finance roles, including Acting Chief Financial Officer for Westpac’s Business and Consumer Bank. David has many years experience in financial services, both in Australia and the UK.