Non-major director steps down

The Queensland-based lender has announced that director David Thorpe has decided to step down from the board, with next week’s monthly meeting to be his last.

Mr Thorpe has sat on the board of the Toowoomba-based bank for nine years, having been appointed as a director on 18 April 2012.

Heritage has said it will not immediately appoint a new director to fill the vacancy left by Mr Thorpe’s departure, but added that a search has begun to “identify a suitable replacement with the right skills and capabilities to help take Heritage forward”.

Heritage Bank chairman Kerry Betros thanked Mr Thorpe for his dedicated service, stating: “David has made an outstanding contribution to Heritage during his time on the board.

“He is absolutely committed to the ideals of the customer-owned movement and that ethos shone through in his decision-making on the board.

“David was meticulous in his approach to the role of director and was always extremely well briefed and informed on the issues we faced.

“Heritage benefitted immensely from his wise counsel and deep expertise in the financial industry, particularly in his leadership of our risk and compliance committee,” he added.

The former CEO of the Queensland Association of Permanent Building Societies has been chair of Heritage Bank’s risk and compliance committee since 2014 and previously served on the board’s finance committee and audit committee.

After announcing his decision to step down from the board, Mr Thorpe said the “genuine commitment” of bank staff to their members, despite the challenges of a rapidly changing environment, made him “proud to have served on the board”.  

“We have seen many changes in the 30 years I have been in the finance industry – increased technology, products, competition and compliance, as well as challenging economic cycles and the pandemic,” Mr Thorpe said.

“Two things stand out for me at Heritage Bank: the skill, adaptability and collaboration of the people, and the genuine customer service ethic of the board and staff.  

“These qualities in particular have made it a pleasure and privilege to be a director of the bank.”

[Related: Non-major ‘consolidates’ Brisbane office presence]