Category: People Moves

Former ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury has been appointed as the new chief executive officer of Lifeline Canberra. Mr Rattenbury announced he was retiring from politics in April, after more than 17 years in the Legislative Assembly. He was the ACT’s first dedicated mental health minister, serving in the role between 2016 and 2020 — a position he said had given him a clear understanding of Lifeline’s purpose. “And certainly, my knowledge of the community, knowing people well, knowing the systems, means that with Lifeline I can really help guide the organisation through some of those things, but also think really carefully about what’s needed next.” Lifeline Canberra reported a 61 per cent increase in calls for help in the 2025-26 financial year, a figure Mr Rattenbury called “concerning”. “It’s great that Lifeline is there to take those calls, but it points to the fact that there is need in the community,” he said. “And so we need to make sure that we’ve got a great team of volunteers ready to take those calls, to make sure our volunteers are well trained and keep coming back to support the community. Lifeline Canberra chair Warren Apps said he was unsurprised by the increased calls for help. He said 20 per cent of Lifeline’s calls were domestic violence-related and 15 per cent assisted with problem gambling. “We tend to provide a frontline service across a wide range of social issues, and I think the last 12 months have been unsettling, not just for Canberrans, but for Australians and I think we’re starting to see the impact of that,” he said. Mr Rattenbury said the ACT’s mental health system had evolved over the last decade, but there was still work to do. “The stigma, I think, has declined around people having mental health struggles, but there are still issues out there and there is much more work to be done,” he said. “We still don’t treat mental health the way we would treat a physical injury. But Mr Apps said he was optimistic about Lifeline’s future. “I think we’re in an incredible position to be able to do even more and become even more a central part of the mental health system in the ACT than we have even over recent years,” he said. The role also wraps in responsibility for Lifeline Narrm, based in Melbourne. Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-06/former-act-greens-leader-shane-rattenbury-lifeline-canberra/107233502

The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) has appointed Yasser El-Ansary (pictured, above) as its next chief executive, filling the top job at the peak body for Australia’s mutual banks and credit unions as long-serving boss Michael Lawrence prepares to retire later this month. El-Ansary will formally start on 2 November, following a search led by the COBA board with support from executive search firm Omera Partners. It closes a succession process that began when Lawrence first announced his planned retirement from COBA in March. Who is Yasser El-Ansary?El-Ansary has more than 30 years of strategy and leadership experience, including a decade as an executive in financial services. He is the former chief executive and managing director of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA) and of the Australian Investment Council, the national peak body for private capital, which counts profit-for-member superannuation funds among its members. “With extensive experience leading member organisations and a deep understanding of the financial services sector, Yasser is well placed to advocate for a purpose-led banking model,” COBA chair Elizabeth Crouch said. He brings “a strong commitment to enhancing the profile and regulatory framework for customer-owned banks, a sector serving over 5.4 million Australians”, Crouch added. El-Ansary signalled that regulation would sit at the top of his agenda. “I am honoured to take on the leadership of COBA and advocate for a sector that consistently puts customers and communities first,” El-Ansary said. “A key priority will be enhancing the regulatory environment and ensuring customer-owned banks are empowered to thrive as a competitive alternative in the market. I look forward to working closely with members and the COBA team to advance our strategy and seize new opportunities for the sector.” Lawrence’s nine years leading COBALawrence (pictured, below) took the helm in December 2017, steering the sector through the banking Royal Commission, a wave of regulatory reform and the COVID-19 pandemic. Before COBA, he led AMP Bank as managing director from 2007 to 2015. Regulatory proportionality became a defining theme of his tenure. In an October 2025 submission to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on regulatory simplification, he wrote: “A one-size-fits-all approach to regulation fails to recognise the inherently different risk profile of our sector. A pivotal shift is necessary – one that aligns regulation with the actual risks posed by different banking institutions and that has simplification at its core.” Under Lawrence, COBA also lobbied for greater coordination among Australia’s financial regulators to ease the compliance burden on small and medium-sized banks. Lawrence also chaired the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) from 2024. Using his opening address at the World Credit Union Conference in Sydney in July 2026, he told delegates: “This October, I’ll be hanging up my boots as the CEO of COBA and Chair of the World Council to spend more time with the family and to explore other interests beyond executive work.” Reflecting on the handover to El-Ansary, Lawrence said: “Serving as CEO of COBA for the past nine years has been a privilege. Our sector has shown incredible resilience in expanding the reach of customer-owned banking, and I am deeply proud of what we have achieved. As I step down, I am confident that Yasser has the vision to help our sector thrive in its next chapter.” Source: https://www.mpamag.com/au/news/general/customer-owned-banking-association-names-new-ceo/592593

Ahold Delhaize’s supervisory board has nominated Margaret Versteden-Van Duijn for appointment as CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and member of the management board of Ahold Delhaize. Versteden-Van Duijn will become EVP Europe & Indonesia on Oct. 1, and her appointment to the management board is subject to shareholder approval at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders scheduled for later this year, after which she will assume the role of CEO Europe & Indonesia. Originally from Australia and holding dual Australian/Dutch citizenship, Versteden-Van Duijn joined Ahold Delhaize in 2015 as chief marketing officer of bol, the company’s online retail platform in the Netherlands and Belgium. Her current role is brand president of Ahold Delhaize’s Dutch brands Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall. Earlier, she was brand president of bol from 2021, joining the Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia leadership team at that time. Before her time at Ahold Delhaize, Versteden-Van Duijn held roles at Bain & Co., Nike, and BCG. Over the course of her career, she has lived and worked in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, France, Central Eastern Europe and the Netherlands. Wiebe Draijer, chair of Ahold-Delhaize supervisory board, noted that Versteden-Van Duijn “has consistently demonstrated the ability to connect group strategy with the strengths of Ahold Delhaize’s local brands. We are confident that Margaret’s leadership will further strengthen Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia and support the continued execution of our Growing Together strategy.” “Margaret brings strong operational leadership, broad experience across our European businesses and a clear understanding of what makes our great local brands successful,” Ahold Delhaize President and CEO Frans Muller added. “ During her time at Ahold Delhaize, she has built a strong track record leading customer-focused, purpose-led businesses. She combines operational discipline with digital and AI-enabled acceleration, adjacent business development, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and long-term value creation.” “I look forward to working with my colleagues and their teams across Europe and Indonesia to build a stronger, more connected European platform while continuing to unlock the unique strengths of our great local brands,” Versteden-Van Duijn said. “Together, we will further enhance the customer experience, accelerate omnichannel growth and continue delivering sustainable value for customers, associates and shareholders.” During the transition period, Versteden-Van Duijn and Claude Sarrailh, the current CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, will work closely together in September, ahead of Sarrailh’s departure that month. Ahold Delhaize has begun succession planning for Albert Heijn, Etos, and Gall & Gall, with information to be shared at a later date. Until that time, Versteden-Van Duijn will retain overall accountability for those brands, aided by the existing leadership teams. Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize is one of the world’s largest food retail groups. The company’s family of local brands serves approximately 77 million customers each week, both in stores and online, in the United States, Europe and Indonesia. The Ahold Delhaize USA division – encompassing Food Lion, The Giant Co., Giant Food, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop – is No. 12 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2026 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and among its Impact Award winners. Source: https://progressivegrocer.com/ahold-delhaize-nominates-new-ceo-europe-indonesia-division

Bithumb Holdings, the parent company of South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, has appointed Kim Ki-bum, former head of external affairs at Bithumb, as its new CEO. Bithumb Holdings is the largest shareholder of Bithumb with a 73% stake. According to virtual asset industry sources on September 9, Bithumb Holdings recently held a board meeting and approved the appointment of Kim as its new CEO. News of the appointment first emerged on September 8. Kim has built his career in the legal and external affairs fields. He served as head of the legal team at Itembay and as a director of the legal and external affairs division at IMI before taking on the role of head of external affairs at Bithumb in 2023. He is known to have handled external affairs and legal work at Bithumb since 2017. IMI, where Kim previously worked, was founded by Bithumb founder and former chairman Lee Jung-hoon. As a result, Kim is regarded as one of Lee’s closest associates. CEO Role Split to Focus on Exchange ManagementLee Jae-won, who had been serving concurrently as CEO of both Bithumb Holdings and Bithumb, will step down from the holding company position under this reshuffle and focus solely on managing Bithumb. The move is intended to enable more agile responses to the institutionalization of the virtual asset market and changes in the regulatory environment. A Bithumb Holdings official said, “New CEO Kim Ki-bum has led the organization’s legal risk management and external policy responses based on his deep expertise in legal and external affairs.” The official added, “Kim plans to strengthen internal and external communications and compliance management in step with the advancement of the virtual asset market and regulations, driving Bithumb Holdings’ sustainable growth.” With this reshuffle, the company has established a structure in which Lee Jae-won focuses on exchange operations while new CEO Kim concentrates on holding company-level communications and compliance management. Strengthening Regulatory Response FrameworkAs the regulatory environment surrounding the virtual asset market changes rapidly, Bithumb Holdings’ decision to install a legal and external affairs expert at the helm is seen as an effort to strengthen risk management and policy response capabilities at the holding company level. Given that new CEO Kim is a close associate of former chairman Lee Jung-hoon, some observers suggest the appointment could influence Bithumb Holdings’ future governance structure and management strategy. However, the company has explained the purpose of the reshuffle as strengthening regulatory response and compliance management. Source: https://finance.biggo.com/news/d16f21a8-d7d1-487c-ac48-12324fb1a28a

Charles Taylor has appointed Mr Andrew Milne as Managing Director in Australia In his new role, Mr Milne will use his knowledge, skills and customer-focussed approach to the wider group. Mr Milne brings more than 11 years of experience at Charles Taylor in complex loss adjusting claims across natural resources, heavy industry, onshore energy, mining, power generation and engineering divisions. Source:https://www.asiainsurancereview.com/News/View-NewsLetter-Article/id/96881/Type/eDaily/Australia-Charles-Taylor-appoints-new-Managing-Director

Tsoi’s appointment marks Hang Lung’s first CEO change since Adriel Chan took over from his father Ronnie Chan as chairman in 2024 Hong Kong developer Hang Lung Properties has tapped Leo Tsoi Tak-lun, CEO of Toys ‘R’ Us Asia and former head of Starbucks China, as its new CEO and executive director.Tsoi will join Hang Lung Group and Hang Lung Properties on September 7 as CEO-designate and executive director ahead of formally assuming the CEO role on October 1. He succeeds Weber Lo Wai-pak, who retires on August 31 after serving as CEO for eight years, the developer said in a statement on Friday. Tsoi’s appointment marks Hang Lung’s first CEO change since Adriel Chan took over from his father Ronnie Chan as chairman in 2024, in the latest leadership shift at the family-controlled property group.Tsoi, 56, has more than three decades of experience in retail and business management in Asia. He currently serves as CEO of Toys ‘R’ Us Asia, where he expanded the brand’s appeal to the “kidult” segment, and revived business growth across China and Southeast Asia, according to Hang Lung. Prior to this role, he headed Starbucks China as CEO after holding several senior leadership positions in the US coffee giant. Earlier in his career, Tsoi “built a strong leadership foundation” at PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble Greater China, Hang Lung said. “As I step into this role, I look forward to partnering with our talented team to strengthen relationships with stakeholders, tenants, and customers,” Tsoi said in a statement. “I am grateful to Adriel and the boards for their trust, and to Weber for laying down such a strong foundation to build upon.” The developer announced the management shift in its half-year earnings released on July 31, noting that a CEO-designate had been appointed without naming the person. Chairman Adriel Chan said Tsoi’s track record of “driving growth through excellence” made him the best candidate to “lead Hang Lung into the next chapter”. At a press conference announcing the group’s earnings, Chan credited Lo with leading the company through “challenging” years, which included the Covid-19 pandemic and China’s prolonged property market downturn.Hang Lung announced the retirement of Lo in December. Source: https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3363316/hong-kongs-hang-lung-properties-names-former-starbucks-china-head-leo-tsoi-new-ceo

The Malaysia-based Islamic investment unit of Japan’s Nomura Asset Management Co Ltd has tapped Mohammad Hasif Ahmad Murad from BNP Paribas Asset Management as chief executive officer to lead it in the “next chapter of growth”. The unit, Nomura Islamic Asset Management, is the Japanese firm’s global hub for Islamic asset management. Mohammad Hasif succeeds Atsushi Ichii, who is now executive director of Nomura Asset Management Middle East. The Japanese asset manager announced the appointment in statement on August 5. Mohammad Hasif was head of global sukuk or Islamic bonds and emerging market fixed income at French asset manager BNP Paribas for three years, and worked for ten years at UK asset manager Aberdeen Group before that. He says in the statement that Nomura Islamic Asset Management “will remain committed to advancing Islamic investment solutions guided by the principles of shariah, delivering sustainable value for our investors, and contributing positively to the communities we serve”. Nomura Asset Management managed US$860 billion of assets as of end-March. Source: https://www.asiaasset.com/people-moves/nomura-islamic-asset-management-taps-mohammad-hasif-from-bnp-paribas-as-ceo/

Les Mills International has appointed Jason Paris as its new CEO with current leader Phillip Mills moving into a founder/director role. One of New Zealand’s most respected business leaders, Paris arrives with a proven track record of leading large customer-centric companies through growth and transformation across telecommunications, digital services and media. Alongside periods working in Europe, Paris has helped shape some of New Zealand’s most recognized brands, including leading One NZ’s transformation from Vodafone NZ to a proudly Kiwi brand, the Telecom to Spark transformation, and playing a key role in the development of digital content platforms such as TVNZ OnDemand. The appointment forms part of a planned leadership succession following Phillip Mills’ three-year commitment to lead the business as managing director through an important period of strategic and organizational development. During that time, the company stabilized and strengthened its operations, established a clear strategy, delivered strong financial performance and built an effective leadership team. With this three-year period now complete, Phillip will support Paris through the transition and continue to serve as founder/director, with operational leadership and decision-making passing to the incoming CEO. Paris, who will become CEO on October 6, said, “It’s an enormous privilege to be joining Les Mills International to help lead the next phase of growth. What Phillip, Jackie and the Mills family have built over many decades is one of New Zealand’s great business success stories. I’ve always admired New Zealand brands that have a real impact globally, and Les Mills International has done exactly that. It has an outstanding team, an iconic brand and an incredible opportunity ahead. Every great business I’ve worked in has one thing in common: obsession over the needs of the customer. Les Mills is a great example of this, with an incredible global network of Instructors, club partners and participants. I can’t wait to start learning from these amazing people and supporting their success as we accelerate our mission to create a fitter planet.” “Jason is an exceptional leader – truly as good as you get – and we’re delighted he’s decided to join us,” added Mills. “He brings deep commercial expertise, a modern leadership style, and a clear passion for building high-performing teams and strong cultures. I stepped back into the leadership of the business following the departure of our previous CEO, with a clear three-year commitment to complete a strategy reset and return the company to solid growth following the disruption COVID-19 caused across the global gym industry. With the company on a strong footing and well-positioned for further expansion, now is the right time for me to hand over leadership to an energetic new CEO who can take us into our next exciting chapter.” Away from work, Paris is a husband and father of three with a lifelong connection to sport and fitness. He is an avid sportsman and rugby league fan, who has been a member of Les Mills New Zealand gyms for many years, with a particular penchant for RPM classes. Source: https://clubsolutionsmagazine.com/2026/08/les-mills-international-appoints-new-ceo-jason-paris-to-drive-next-phase-of-growth/

Naulls altogether spent well over a decade and a half at McKinsey & Company across two stints in Australia and abroad, before joining Partners in Performance as chief financial officer in 2024 as the consultancy prepared for its sale to Accenture. His appointment as COO follows last year’s elevation of Robert Miano as chief, with Naulls to support a small national executive which further includes APAC chairman James Komninos alongside Andy Graham and more recent additions in Jessica Olivier and Dace Harris. Naulls external recruitment also perhaps marks a shift in approach at RSM, with the members of the national executive combining for more than a century of experience at the century-old accounting and consulting firm. A background at McKinsey & Company or any of the major management and strategy consultancies is also a rarity for a mid-tier top-level senior appointee. New Zealand-raised with a bachelor of business in accounting and tourism from the University of Auckland, Naulls first joined McKinsey in the UK in 2003 after earlier time spent at Linklaters, before being quickly being promoted to director of finance for the firm in the Middle East based in Dubai and later briefly in the same role for McKinsey’s Greater China operations out of Shanghai. A stint as strategic development leader at Dairy Innovation Australia followed, before Naulls rejoined McKinsey in Melbourne in 2015, later appointed Asia regional finance & pricing manager and ultimately director of finance for Australia and New Zealand ahead of joining Partners in Performance in early 2024 – with the firm famously founded by McKinsey alum Skipp Williamson. While Naulls also led the firm’s global IT and real estate functions in addition to finance, which included expansion into new markets, it seems pretty clear Naulls was chiefly brought in to work on the Accenture deal – later reported to be worth around $375 million and described at the time as one of the most significant in the Australian management consulting landscape in many years. Lest Naulls’ recruitment by RSM leads to any speculation amid competitor Grant Thornton’s upcoming private equity sale vote, Miano previously told the AFR; “We’re not contemplating it. If we have to reinvest dollars or people and resources, we have access to the required capital. We’ve prepared our 2030 strategy, and we believe we can achieve that with the current structure.” As to Naulls appointment; “Tim brings extensive experience leading operations, finance and large-scale transformation across complex professional services organisations. He is known for his ability to move between detailed operational issues and high-level strategy, and will work closely with our executive to ensure RSM continues to run efficiently and effectively as we continue to grow.” Source: https://www.consultancy.com.au/news/12424/rsm-recruits-tim-naulls-as-chief-operating-officer-for-australia

John Sams took over as KPMG Australia’s CFO in October 2025, before taking on the additional responsibilities of COO in June 2026. KPMG Australia has named John Sams as its new CEO, with the appointment effective immediately. The decision was finalised after a panel reviewed internal candidates, executives from KPMG’s global network and external applicants before finalising the decision. The new CEO takes over the helm after former chief Andrew Yates resigned in May over mishandled whistleblower claims. KPMG independent chairman Michael Ebeid, who was part of the selection panel, said: “The Board believes that John has the strong attributes required to be the firm’s successful leader – including agility, courage and integrity. “John has a clear mandate from the Board: to strengthen leadership and culture, improve confidence with our people, clients, regulators, government and the Parliament, and focus KPMG on the areas where it can make the greatest contribution to our clients, people and stakeholders.” Sams has been KPMG Australia’s chief financial officer (CFO) since October 2025 and, from June 2026, also held the role of chief operating officer (COO). He has been a partner at the company for more than ten years. Sams began his career at KPMG UK before moving to Australia, where he developed extensive experience advising on major infrastructure projects, providing commercial and financial guidance. He has more than 20 years of experience spanning tax, corporate finance and infrastructure advisory. Sams said: “I do not underestimate the task ahead but commit to our clients and people that I am prepared to be courageous, take the tough decisions and lead the changes we need to set us on the right path. “The firm fell short of the standards rightly expected of us, and the accountability for these failures will continue to be implemented. We have serious work to do on our culture, our leadership and our governance and it will take resolve and endurance. “Despite everything we have faced so far, I am optimistic about the future, otherwise I would never have taken on this role. While the challenges are real, so too are the strengths of this firm and I am equally clear about the opportunities to strengthen KPMG for the future.” Source: https://www.internationalaccountingbulletin.com/news/kpmg-australia-appoints-new-ceo/?cf-view