ANZ Bank New Zealand has appointed Chief Risk Officer Ben Kelleher as its new Chief Executive Officer, taking over from Antonia Watson who will retire on 30 September at the end of the 2026 financial year.

Watson leaves the role after nearly seven years as CEO and a Group Executive. She has been with the bank since 2009.

Kelleher will step into the top job after more than two years as Chief Risk Officer. His appointment is subject to a non-objection ruling from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and other regulatory engagement.

His previous experience at the bank includes five years as Managing Director of Personal Banking, as well as leading the private banking and strategy teams.

Before joining ANZ, Kelleher held strategy and analyst roles in New Zealand and the UK.

ANZ New Zealand Chair Scott St John noted that the bank expects a smooth transition, adding that Kelleher understands how to run a complex company in a highly regulated industry.

St John also highlighted Watson’s work guiding the bank through the pandemic and acting as a balanced voice during recent parliamentary and regulatory inquiries.

“Modern CEOs have to deal with heightened customer, shareholder, staff, political and regulatory expectations and Antonia has done that exceptionally well,”

St John said.

Watson originally joined ANZ from Morgan Stanley, where she managed a business services and technology centre in Budapest.

During her time at ANZ, she held positions as Financial Controller, Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of Retail and Business Banking.

Reflecting on her tenure, Watson said leading a company central to New Zealand’s economic prosperity was rewarding.

“I’ve loved every moment of my time at ANZ. I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredibly smart, hardworking and clever colleagues and customers, which has made navigating the difficult times like COVID all the more rewarding,”

Watson said.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Australia, based on image by VectorMass Studio via Magnific