New directors for banking group

The Heartland Group intends to sign up Robert Bell and Simon Beckett as independent, non-executive directors.

The appointments, subject to Reserve Bank non-objection, will come into effect from June 27.

Bell is a banking executive with 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles across the listed environment.

He was the founding chief executive officer of digital bank 86 400 and has a deep understanding of technology, digital and growth strategies. 

Before that, Bell held executive and chief executive roles at Cuscal, Australian Unity Bank and ANZ, including CEO positions at ANZ Japan and ANZ Fiji. He is currently a non-executive director of HFC Bank. 

Beckett has 30 years of experience in financial services, including in executive leadership positions at multinationals. 

He is currently a non-executive director at Orde Financial. His extensive financial-services experience extends across multiple functions in the US, UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, including at Wells Fargo and GE Capital.

Beckett also has experience working in motor-finance businesses during his executive career at GE Capital, Wells Fargo and Cerberus Capital.