Ross Miller

Acenda Group has announced the appointment of Ross Miller as its new Group Chief People and Culture Officer, effective 16 February 2026.

Ross is a highly experienced senior executive and human resources leader, with a strong track record leading organisations through transformation and change.

Ross brings more than 25 years’ experience from Westpac Group, where he held a range of senior executive and human resources roles. These included General Manager, Human Resources for Westpac Group’s Australian and New Zealand retail operations, General Manager, Human Resources at St George Bank, and most recently Chief Customer and Engagement Officer in Westpac’s Consumer and Business Banking Division.

Ross’ appointment completes the Acenda Group Leadership Team announced in October 2025.

Acenda Group Chief Executive Officer Chris de Bruin said: “Ross joins our business at an important time as we continue to shape our organisation and culture following the establishment of the Acenda Group,” Mr de Bruin said.

“Ross brings deep experience in financial services, and I am confident his leadership will strengthen the development of our

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Chris de Bruin

The Acenda Group has been established following the successful completion of Nippon Life’s global acquisition of Resolution Life Group.

The transaction brings together the strong heritage and expertise of three long-standing life insurance businesses, comprising the former MLC Life Insurance business (now Acenda Life), Resolution Life Australasia and Asteron Life New Zealand. The combined Group is now one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand, backed by the global strength of Nippon Life.

The Acenda Group is open to new business and is focused on growth, innovation and providing quality service and leading solutions for its customers, advisers and partners.

Driven by a strong commitment to customers, the Acenda Group will build on its combined capabilities and scale to deliver enhanced wealth protection and retirement solutions to more customers.

Mr Satoshi Asahi, President of Nippon Life, confirmed that the acquisition strengthens Nippon Life’s position in the Australasian market and builds on the company’s ambition to expand its global operations to support more customers.

“The acquisition reaffirms our enduring commitment to the Australian and New Zealand life insurance sector and our drive to deliver greater value in protection and retirement. We will strive to make the Acenda Group a leader in the local markets, focused on long-term growth and delivering trusted protection and security to more people,” Mr Asahi said.

Sir Clive Cowdery, Chairman and CEO of Resolution Life, agreed that by combining the strength of Resolution Life and Nippon Life, the opportunity will continue to serve the needs of policyholders for decades to come.

“Our strong foundation of shared values, clarity of vision and breadth of capabilities will enable the Acenda Group to play a critical role in driving innovative service and solutions for our customers at this critical juncture for the industry in Australia and New Zealand,” Sir Clive said.

Mr Chris de Bruin, Acenda Group CEO, said the completion of the transaction is a significant step in shaping the future for the combined organisation.

“As a combined Group we are a stronger, growth-focused business, with the scale and stability to meet the evolving needs of our customers. Our proud legacy and customer-oriented approach remains our foundation. We are focused on delivering on our promises to customers during the transition with no change to customer policies or their ability to make a claim,” Mr de Bruin said.

Integration of the businesses will occur over time to ensure a seamless experience for customers, advisers, and partners. In the meantime, the Acenda Group will continue to serve policyholders in Australia under the Acenda and Resolution Life brands, and policyholders in New Zealand under the Asteron Life and Resolution Life brands.

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Ms. Le Bas and Ms. Malzard’s appointments follow Nippon Life’s announcement in December 2024 that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Resolution Life. On completion of this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia will merge to form the Acenda Group, one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

The appointments further strengthen the leadership of the merged Group, together with the previously announced future Group Chief Executive Officer, Chris de Bruin, future Acenda Board Chair, Mr. Craig Dunn, and future Independent Non-Executive Directors. The appointments will take effect upon completion of the transaction.

Mr. Craig Dunn, future Independent Chair of the Acenda Group said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to Yvonne and Karen on their appointments; an exciting milestone in establishing the Acenda Group. Yvonne and Karen, alongside Group CEO Chris de Bruin, bring deep expertise and strong leadership capabilities to Acenda. I have great confidence in their ability to lead the business with integrity and a commitment to our customers and partners across Australia and New Zealand.”

Mr. Chris de Bruin, future Group CEO of the Acenda Group said: “I am excited to work alongside Yvonne and Karen as part of Acenda’s future leadership team. Their combined experience across financial services and life insurance, as well as their strong leadership capabilities will benefit Acenda as we lead the merged organisation through this important time for our business and the industry.”

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Mr. de Bruin’s appointment follows Nippon Life’s announcement in December 2024 that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Resolution Life. On completion of this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to occur in the second half of 2025, Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia will merge to form one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand.

Mr. de Bruin brings a wealth of experience, from an exceptional 25-year career in executive roles in the financial services sector globally. His appointment as the Acenda Group CEO further strengthens the leadership of the merged group, in concert with the previously announced Chair, Mr. Craig Dunn, and Independent Non-Executive Directors. Mr. de Bruin’s appointment will take effect upon completion of the transaction.

Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia extend their sincere thanks to the current Acenda CEO, Mr. Kent Griffin and Resolution Life Australasia CEO, Mr. Tim Tez for their exceptional leadership and dedication during their tenure. Their contributions have laid a strong foundation for the future success of the Acenda Group as the company begins its new chapter. Mr. Griffin and Mr. Tez will remain with the company for a period and will support Chris with his onboarding.

Mr Satoshi Asahi, President of Nippon Life said, “It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to Mr. de Bruin upon his appointment as the new CEO of the Acenda Group. I am confident that he brings the experience and strategic insight essential for steering the organisation through the integration process and beyond.

“I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Kent Griffin for his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Acenda during his appointment.

“Under Mr. de Bruin’s leadership, I believe the Acenda Group will enhance its position in the market while consistently delivering exceptional service and value to its policyholders.  I look forward to supporting him as he embarks on this important journey to lead our Australian and New Zealand operations.”

Sir Clive Cowdery, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Resolution Life, said, “This is an important time for the industry in Australia and New Zealand, and Acenda’s customer focussed agenda will greatly benefit from Chris de Bruin’s strategic vision. I would like to thank to Tim Tez for the outstanding job he has done as CEO of Resolution Life Australasia during these last three years.”

Mr Craig Dunn, the future independent Chair of Acenda said, “On behalf of everyone at the new Acenda Group, I extend a generous welcome to Mr. Chris de Bruin as our new CEO. Having had the pleasure of working with Chris before, I know the strength of leadership and strategic insight he will bring to the role, and the great passion he has for creating an exceptional experience for both customers and employees alike. I pass on my sincere thanks and best wishes to both Kent and Tim for their dedication and commitment to leading the organisations that will make up the Acenda Group, and for fostering the development of the growth platforms that I know will provide a strong foundation for the future success of Acenda.”

Mr. Chris de Bruin said, “I am excited to join the Acenda Group at the start of this new chapter. I would like to thank Nippon Life President Satoshi Asahi and Resolution Life Founder & CEO Sir Clive Cowdery for the opportunity. Building on the foundations established under the leadership of Kent Griffin & Tim Tez, I look forward to working with our Chair Craig Dunn, the Board, our shareholders and the exceptional team across the Acenda Group to achieve our vision to provide outstanding service and value to our customers and partners.”

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“To sharpen our focus, we are appointing dedicated Group Executives responsible for Consumer banking and Business banking,” said Mr King.

“Over the past few years we’ve simplified the bank, including exiting nine businesses. As a result, we no longer need a Specialist Businesses Division.”

“We are also establishing a stand-alone function to accelerate our Technology simplification and will move Operations to Corporate Services, creating an expanded shared services team.”

Leadership Changes:

• Jason Yetton, Chief Executive, Consumer
• Anthony Miller, Chief Executive, Business & Wealth
• Nell Hutton, Chief Executive, Westpac Institutional Bank
• Scott Collary, Chief Information Officer
• Carolyn McCann, Group Executive Customer & Corporate Services

With the separation of Consumer & Business Banking, Chris de Bruin, current Chief Executive, Consumer & Business Banking has decided to leave the Group to pursue new opportunities.

“I want to thank Chris for his contribution to the bank. In particular, he’s led the digitisation of the Consumer bank, including the delivery of major initiatives such as the digital mortgage and payment solutions. He’s also driven our branch co-location strategy and strengthened the franchise. Chris will assist with the transition to the new structure,” Mr King said.

“The new structure will give the leadership team a greater focus on growing their businesses and delivering for customers.

“Jason has a 30-year history with the Group. His breadth of expertise stretches across all facets of banking, including time running Westpac’s retail and business banking division from 2011 to 2015. Jason has also led our portfolio simplification since 2020.

“Since joining three years ago, Anthony has grown our institutional business while improving return. He is a seasoned banker, having held executive and client facing roles at some of the world’s leading banks. Anthony is well-placed to drive growth in Westpac business banking.”

Mr King said he was pleased to have someone of Ms Hutton’s calibre join the executive team.

“Nell is an outstanding leader, who has delivered a strong performance during her time leading Financial Markets and will continue to build the Institutional Bank.”

Mr King said the Group has a significant technology and customer agenda underway.

“Scott Collary will continue to spearhead our technology transformation with a focus on streamlining our tech systems across the Westpac Group, while Carolyn McCann will lead an expanded division for customer and corporate shared services, including operations, helping to leverage the benefits of scale.”

The organisation changes will take effect on 1st August 2023 and will be reflected in the 2024 financial results.

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Chris de Bruin

Westpac has announced it has begun rolling out a new capability where customers can track their estimated carbon footprint in the Westpac App and gain insights to help make more environmentally friendly choices.

The tool will provide customers with an estimate of their carbon emissions tracked from spending from their eligible accounts, based on aggregate industry categories such as home energy, car fuel or groceries. The Carbon Footprint Tracker technology has been developed in partnership with carbon management fintech, Cogo.

“Our research shows Australians are increasingly concerned about sustainability. However, there are knowledge gaps that prevent people from engaging in more sustainable behaviours,” said Westpac Consumer and Business Banking Chief Executive, Chris de Bruin.

“The Westpac Carbon Footprint Tracker will give customers high-level insights into the carbon footprint associated with everyday purchases, such as takeaway food, transport, and groceries.

“This new feature is another investment in our banking app where we are continuing to roll out practical and easy to use solutions to give customers more control over their spending decisions,” he said.

Westpac’s Carbon Footprint Tracker will enable customers to compare their estimated carbon footprint with Australian individual and household averages in similar categories.

The tool will also link to useful articles and resources with ideas from Cogo on how consumers might make better choices to live more sustainably.

Customers will see a comparison to their previous month’s overall estimated carbon footprint and their monthly average trend over time.

Westpac Chief Sustainability Officer, Siobhan Toohill, said Westpac recognises the impact that climate change has for businesses, customers and the community.

“At Westpac, we’re on a path to reduce our own direct footprint, and as part of the Net Zero Banking Alliance we’re also continuing our work to align our lending portfolios with net zero emissions by 2050,” said Ms Toohill.

“We also want to support our customers with insights to assist them on their own personal sustainability journey. The Carbon Footprint Tracker is a great conversation starter that encourages our customers to consider the carbon emissions from their eligible Westpac accounts.”

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Chris de Bruin

Westpac has announced new measures to help more female-led small businesses to get started or to grow with dedicated start-up and scale-up loans. 

These support measures are part of a total $500 million commitment to back more women in business and comes as research from the bank reveals accessing finance is one of many challenges faced by female business owners^*.

New initiatives Westpac will be rolling out:

• Start-up loans. Unsecured loans between $10,000 and $50,000 with terms of up to three years to help new businesses get started. These are businesses that have operated for less than 12 months and will need to provide a sound business plan and budget projections to access funding^{^}, instead of two years of financials.

• Scale-up loans. Secured or unsecured loans between $10,000 and $1 million with terms of up to three years, designed to help existing businesses to grow. These businesses will have operated for less than three years and will now only require one year of financials to access funding^{^}, rather than two.

Westpac Group Chief Executive, Consumer & Business Banking, Chris de Bruin, says businesses established by women are still underrepresented in Australia.

“Access to capital is not a level playing field, so we’re committing to supporting more businesses led by women.

“This is about backing early-stage businesses with great ideas and providing opportunity so they can succeed.

“Boosting women’s entrepreneurship in Australia is important to the economy. The longstanding gender pay gap represents a missed opportunity for innovation, social and economic value creation, and job creation.

“A diverse and inclusive workforce generates tangible benefits, such as increased efficiency, productivity, innovation, creativity, and improved employee engagement.

“This announcement is key to our broader strategy of supporting more customers and backing the businesses of tomorrow,” Mr de Bruin said.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), women represent around 36 per cent of Australian small businesses owners.

The start-up and scale-up loans will be available in the coming weeks.

Eligibility criteria

Terms & Conditions, Fees & Charges and Eligibility Criteria will apply.

Start-up loans

Available to new and existing customers for female-led start-ups which have been operating for less than 12 months. Unsecured loans available between $10,000 and $50,000 per business for a loan term of up to three years.

Scale-up loans

Available to new and existing customers for female-led businesses that have been operating for less than three years. Secured and unsecured loans available between $10,000 and $1 million per business for a loan term of up to three years.

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Chris de Bruin

Westpac has introduced new lending changes to help make it easier for childcare businesses to access finance to expand, supporting Government plans to grow the childcare sector.

In addition, Westpac will increase its female workforce across home and business lending and has expanded eligibility for its existing Lender’s Mortgage Insurance (LMI) Waiver to include more health professions.

The initiatives include:

• improving access to finance for childcare centre operators
• introducing more flexible lending criteria and priority service for childcare centre operators, including reduced equity requirements and competitive lending rates and establishment fees. Westpac also has dedicated business bankers to support childcare businesses looking to expand.

Expanding LMI Waiver eligibility

Westpac has recently updated the criteria for its LMI Waiver to include eight further allied health professions, which have strong female workforce representation. Eligible customers can access a Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) of up to 90% without the additional cost of LMI.

Increasing our female lending workforce

Employees will have access to a development and upskilling program to transition to home and business lending roles, with a goal to increase female participation with

“The New South Wales Government recently announced a $5 billion childcare growth plan and other Governments are pursuing similar policy objectives. Providing access to fast and competitive finance will be essential to support growth in the childcare sector,” said Chris de Bruin, Westpac Chief Executive Consumer & Business Banking.

“When Government policy and corporate sector commitment are aligned, change can be driven quickly. We know that access to finance is a key barrier to expansion, so we’re making it easier for childcare businesses to get the funding they need to grow.

“Home ownership is still one of the most common paths to wealth accumulation in Australia but saving the traditional 20 per cent of the value of a property purchase price can take prospective buyers years to achieve.

“We have recently expanded our LMI Waiver to include additional health professions, like speech pathologists and occupational therapists, where women make-up most of the workforce. This will enable more women to purchase their home sooner with a reduced deposit and without the expense of mortgage insurance.

“To complement our new childcare sector lending growth plan, we will also be lifting women’s participation across our own lending workforce, where females have historically been underrepresented in lending roles,” Mr de Bruin said.

Customers can speak to their branch, lender, or mortgage broker for more information on the LMI waiver for eligible allied health professionals.

Business customers interested in expanding their childcare businesses can speak to their Relationship Manager, with more information to be made available over the coming weeks.

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