HUME Bank’s new boss wants to make the company stronger for members and customers.
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David Marshall said it was all about growing Hume in a “sustainable way”.
“What we don’t need to run the organisation we put back into the community,” he said.
“We want to use that great platform.
“We’re a strong organisation that values its brand, its reputation and its integrity greatly.”
Mr Marshall took over as the bank’s chief executive from Andrew Saxby on Monday.
He has held several executive positions in the financial services sector, including senior roles with Bank of Queensland and Suncorp.
More recently, he has been a consultant on risk management and growth.
Mr Marshall said this was his first role with a mutual bank that returned profits to its customers and worked closely with its community.
“I’m having a fantastic time three days in,” he said.
Mr Marshall said Hume’s sponsorship of the City2City run-walk event on Sunday that attracted 3500 entrants was a “great reflection” of the bank’s contribution to the community.
“I really believe our communities need a strong, vibrant customer-owned financial institution,” he said.
“When you line that up with the region we’re in, that’s a very powerful recipe.”
Mr Marshall said the Border economy had an incredible depth and breadth.
“Of course you’ve got the traditional agricultural base,” he said.
“But you’ve also got defence, you’ve also got education and health, you’ve got logistics and transport.
“Because of the economic diversity, we might not experience the highs of some of the mining-type economies, but we don’t experience the lows either.”
Mr Marshall said Albury-Wodonga had a unique convergence of rail and road, the Murray River and links through the west, right across to South Australia.
“We’re fortunate that our customer and staff satisfaction is very strong, so our ability to service and serve our members and customers is exemplary,” he said.
“Our board is made up of well-known identities in the communities we represent and that’s one of our major strengths.
“The big banks can’t say that.”