“Customer-owned banks have enjoyed a productive working relationship with APRA. Both outgoing Chair Wayne Byres and incoming Chair John Lonsdale have driven a more proportional approach to regulation and a more facilitative approach to banking competition in APRA,” COBA CEO Michael Lawrence said.

“We welcome the appointment of John Lonsdale as APRA Chair.  Mr Lonsdale’s background as APRA Deputy Chair and a senior Treasury official, including as Financial System Inquiry head, provides an immeasurable understanding of financial sector issues, and we appreciate the time Mr Lonsdale has taken over the years to listen to customer-owned banks.”

“We also congratulate Therese McCarthy Hockey on her appointment as the APRA Member for banking. Ms McCarthy Hockey spoke at COBA’s annual convention last month, and it was clear from her valuable insights that she will apply her extensive banking and leadership expertise with great impact in her new role.”

“We also congratulate Ms Margaret Cole and Ms Suzanne Smith on their new roles.”

“Australia’s customer-owned banks look forward to continuing our productive relationship with APRA to ensure our sector can continue to grow and thrive to benefit more Australians.”

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Mrs Rowell is currently the Executive General Manager of APRA’s Supervisory Support Division. Mrs Rowell joined APRA in 2002 and has been employed in a number of senior roles including General Manager, Diversified Institutions Division and General Manager Policy Development.

Mrs Rowell has represented APRA at various subcommittees of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors. She also represents APRA on the FSB’s Supervisory Intensity and Effectiveness Group and co-Chairs the Joint Forum Financial Conglomerates Committee.

APRA Chairman John Laker welcomed Mrs Rowell’s appointment: ‘Helen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position of APRA Member from her 10 years in senior roles within APRA and also from her extensive experience in the private sector.’

Prior to joining APRA, Mrs Rowell was a partner at the international consulting firm Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson), and she is also a Fellow and past President of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.

The announcement can be found on the Treasurer’s website.

Today’s announcement follows changes, announced in April this year, to APRA’s Executive Group. It was announced APRA’s Deputy Chairman Ross Jones would not be seeking re-appointment and would leave APRA on 30 June 2013 after serving two five-year terms, and that APRA Member Ian Laughlin would be appointed Deputy Chairman for two years from 1 July 2013.

It was also announced at that time that Wayne Byres, former APRA Executive General Manager and currently Secretary General to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, will commence as APRA Chairman on 30 June 2014 with John Laker continuing to serve as APRA Chairman until that time.

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