IMB is pleased to announce that Ms Gai McGrath has joined the Board of IMB and its subsidiaries as a non-executive director, following a casual appointment made by Directors. Ms McGrath’s appointment at this time brings further diversity, highly relevant experience and expertise and enables IMB to facilitate an orderly transition in the composition of the Board, with IMB Chairman, Michael Cole scheduled to retire after more than ten years of outstanding service, in the months prior to the 2016 IMB AGM. The Board will make a further announcement as to the election of a new Chairman following Mr Cole’s retirement.
Ms Gai McGrath (BA, LLB (HONS), LLM (DISTINCTION), GAICD), began her career as a lawyer and spent several years in private practice before moving into the financial services industry in 1996. Over her thirty year career, Gai spent 12 years with the Westpac Group, where most recently, she was General Manager of Westpac’s flagship retail business. Gai previously held senior positions with Westpac New Zealand, BT Financial Group and Perpetual and was partner in a Sydney law firm. Gai has been awarded Australia’s Corporate Lawyer of the Year (2003), Customer Service Executive of the Year (2009) and Best Retail Banker of the Year - Asia Pacific (2015).
Gai is a member of the Council of the State Library of NSW and the board of its Foundation, The Salvation Army’s Territorial Appeal & Fund Development Committee (Australia East Territory) and The Asian Banker’s International Advisory Council for the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards. She is also a mentor on the Layne Beachley Foundation's Aim for the Stars Program.
It is pleasing to have someone of Gai’s calibre join the IMB Board and her experience and proven capabilities will be an asset for both the Board and IMB.
Gai will stand for re-appointment by members at the 2016 IMB Annual General Meeting of members, to be held in late October.