Ms Marler will lead the HR and Corporate Affairs functions across the bank’s Australian and New Zealand operations, joining the Region Australia, New Zealand Executive Team and reporting to Caroline Oosterbaan, CEO of Rabobank Australia and Regional Manager, Australia and New Zealand.

Announcing the appointment, Ms Oosterbaan said Ms Marler brought to the role “extensive People and Culture experience in complex, highly-regulated organisations, together with deep banking knowledge and a strong commitment to building high-performing, future-ready teams”.

“Kathryn’s blend of deep banking-sector expertise and large-scale transformation experience was central to her appointment. Operating within a global cooperative structure, Rabobank sought a leader able to continue to build a People and Culture strategy consistent with the Rabobank Group, while remaining genuinely responsive to the needs of the Australian and New Zealand business,” Ms Oosterbaan said.

Ms Marler joins Rabobank from Westpac Banking Corporation, where she held a number of senior leadership roles shaping enterprise-wide transformation and delivering People and Culture strategy.

Part of the global cooperative Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist food and agribusiness bank, Rabobank Australia & New Zealand is one of the region’s leading agricultural banks and a major provider of corporate and business banking services to the Australian and New Zealand food and agribusiness sectors. Rabobank also provides online retail savings and deposits in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Ms Marler said she “is excited to join Rabobank at such an important time for the bank and the sector it serves”.

“Rabobank’s cooperative culture, and its deep, long-term commitment to Australian and New Zealand farmers and food producers, is something I’ve long admired. I’m looking forward to partnering with Caroline and the leadership team to build the workforce capability that will carry that mission forward,” she said.

Ms Marler commences in the role, subject to regulatory approval, on October 6.

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Caroline Oosterbaan

Applications are now open for Rabobank’s 2027 graduate program, offering university graduates with an interest in agriculture and agribusiness the opportunity to start a purposeful career with the specialist agribusiness bank.

Rabobank is offering places for graduates from around Australia to join the bank early next year, beginning with a formal 18-month graduate program, which kicks off in February 2027.

The world’s leading specialist food and agribusiness bank, Rabobank is one of Australia’s largest agricultural lenders and a major provider of business and corporate banking services to the country’s food and agribusiness sector.

Rabobank Australia CEO Caroline Oosterbaan said the program gave graduates the opportunity to begin meaningful careers with a major global food and agribusiness bank.

“Since launching our formal graduate program in 2023, Rabobank has helped university graduates from across Australia who have a passion for agriculture start their careers while at the same time building a strong pipeline of talent for the bank,” she said.

The Rabo Graduate Program was recently ranked sixth in the Australian Association of Graduate Employers list of Top 75 Graduate Employers – Small Program category. This accolade recognises organisations that provide the most positive experience for new graduates based on the opinions of the graduates themselves.

The Rabo Graduate Program was also recently named in the Top 10 Most Popular Banking, Finance & Insurance Employer list and ranked 52 on the Top 100 Most Popular Graduate Employers list, published by the Australian Financial Review and SEEK Grad. These awards – published annually – celebrate the most popular graduate employers in Australia, with employer’s rank based on actual measured student applications from SEEK Grad.

Ms Oosterbaan said the Rabobank program would see each graduate rotate through a range of teams across the bank, within their chosen function.

“The program offers strong career development opportunities, supporting graduates to progress in their chosen fields while experiencing Rabobank’s inclusive and flexible work environment,” she said.

“All graduates spend time at a rural or regional branch in Australia – including locations such as Townsville, Kadina, Geraldton, Wagga Wagga and Port Lincoln,” Ms Oosterbaan. “Through this important customer-facing experience, individuals gain a better understanding of Rabobank’s unique approach to supporting clients.”

To help accelerate career development, each graduate will be matched with a senior leader within the bank to act as their mentor throughout the program

One of those graduate mentors, Rabobank state manager for Victoria and Tasmania Sally Bull said the goal of mentoring a graduate is to support and guide them throughout the program and into a meaningful long-term career within the bank. “It’s really rewarding to see the graduates progress in their careers and find roles they enjoy, because ultimately we want to retain them beyond the program,” she said.

Ms Bull said the graduates she has worked with have stayed with the bank and progressed into Country Banking roles. “The program is designed so that after completing their rotations and gaining experience, they can move towards a manager position,” she said.

As a mentor, Ms Bull said, she set monthly meetings with her graduate mentee, “and they can reach out anytime if they need guidance”. “The conversations I have with graduates are really about their career aspirations and how I can help them get there, including who they should be connecting with within the bank and where they should be going for their rotations,” she said.

“The rotations are a key element of the program – where graduates gain exposure across different parts of the business and different parts of the country. I’m a big believer in encouraging graduates to go somewhere they may never go again – in a branch with a mix of commodities and a broad range of experiences.

“During the branch rotations, the graduates are supporting managers with client portfolios, learning on the job and working closely one-on-one with experienced bankers. They get involved in client events, marketing activities and field days, and they also go out on farm visits when transactions are happening.”

Ms Bull noted not all graduates come straight from university. “A number of graduates in previous cohorts have brought experience from working in other industries or have spent time travelling, which can really benefit their development. These experiences can also really broaden their understanding of the industry,” she said.

Rabobank state manager for NSW Toby Mendl is another of the bank’s senior leaders mentoring graduates in recent cohorts. He said the graduate program delivers a strong, well-rounded experience for participants while also building a pathway of highly-capable future employees for the business.

“The program provides a platform for developing skilled, engaged graduates who can move into long-term roles,” he said.

“The graduates bring energy, new ideas and fresh thinking into the Rabobank teams they work with. Their enthusiasm is infectious – they are eager, hardworking and bring a real sense of momentum to the workplace. They have a ‘roll up your sleeves’ attitude and a genuine willingness to contribute.”

Mr Mendl said within 18 months, graduates gain exposure to a wide range of agricultural industries, environments and regions across the country. “The opportunity to work across different commodities and geographies gives participants a genuinely broad understanding of Australian agriculture,” he said.

Applications for the Rabobank Australian Graduate Program will close on August 18 with successful candidates commencing in February 2027.

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