Directors & Management

Michael Cameron

Chairman

BBus, FCA, FCPA, FAICD

Michael was appointed Chairman in 2019. He is an experienced Non-Executive Director and Board Chair, also chairing Resolution Capital, Equip Super and NSW Land Registry Services.

Michael has deep expertise in financial services, strategy, governance and organisational leadership, including leading large-scale technology transformations and regulatory engagement.

He was previously CEO of Suncorp Group and The GPT Group, and Group CFO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He has held executive positions across a range of financial services and property organisations and contributed to national regulatory governance reviews of the finance sector.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ, CPA Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Chairman of the Board

Chair of the Remuneration and Governance Committee

Brendan P. Baulch

Independent Director

B.Com, LLB, FCA, MAICD

Brendan was appointed to the Board in 2007. He is the principal of Baulch & Associates, a Toowoomba-based accounting practice.

Brendan brings extensive experience in accounting, audit, taxation and financial governance, with a strong international perspective across the banking, insurance and telecommunications sectors.

He began his career in corporate tax at PriceWaterhouse in Melbourne, before working in London across multiple sectors including Cable & Wireless plc, Société Générale and Lloyd’s of London. He has served as Chairman of Toowoomba Grammar School and as a director of a public offer superannuation fund.

Brendan is a Chartered Accountant, registered company auditor, registered tax agent and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Chair of the Audit Committee

Dr Dennis P. Campbell 

Independent Director

PhD, MBA, FCHSE, CHE, FAIM, GAICD

Dennis was appointed to the Board in 2000. He is Chair of Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, a Director of Darling Downs Hospital Foundation, Chair of the Friends Executive Committee of the Cobb & Co Museum and a Councillor of Queensland Branch of the ACHSN.

Dennis has extensive leadership experience across the health, legal and public administration sectors, with specialist knowledge in governance, policy and service delivery. 

He was CEO of St Vincent’s Hospital Toowoomba and Corporate Director at Legal Aid Queensland. He has held executive roles in the health sector and has been formally recognised for his contribution to healthcare leadership and policy, and for his contribution to the Queensland Museum Network.

Dennis holds a PhD, MBA, legal and health qualifications, is a Fellow of the College of Healthcare Executives and Australian Institute of Management, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities 

Member of the Technology and Integration Committee

Peter Clare

Independent Director

B.Com, MBA, FCPA, FAICD

Peter was appointed to the Board in 2020. He has held a range of non-executive roles in the finance and technology sectors.

Peter has wide leadership experience, with particular strengths in digital transformation, risk and operational management.

Prior to Peter’s non-executive roles, his career had spanned banking, management consulting, and insolvency accounting. He previously held executive roles at the Commonwealth Bank, St George and Westpac, including serving as CEO of Westpac New Zealand. He began his career as an insolvency practitioner with B O Smith and Son, Howarth and Howarth, and Ferrier Hodgson & Co.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting, Finance and Systems) and an MBA, is a Fellow of CPA Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities 

Chair of the Risk and Compliance Committee

Member of the Technology and Integration Committee

Virginia Hickey

Independent Director

BA, LLB, FAICD

Virginia was appointed to the Board in 2014. She serves on the boards of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network where she is Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, People First Bank Foundation, and Agency Projects Ltd, is Independent Chair of the SA Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Risk and Performance Committee, and a member of Anglicare SA’s Corporate Governance and RAA SA’s Nominations Committee.

Virginia is a corporate governance specialist, experienced company director and a former partner of Finlaysons Lawyers, with deep knowledge of corporate law, regulatory compliance and board governance frameworks across the commercial, government and not-for-profit sectors.

Virginia’s previous board roles include Chair of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Council, and board member of the National Competition Council, Energy Consumers Australia and of a mutual insurance company, Medical Insurance Group Australia.

She is also a national facilitator for the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Member of the Audit Committee

Wendy Machin 

Independent Director

B.A. (Communication), M.Com, GAICD

Wendy was appointed to the Board in 2019. She is Chair of the Hunter, New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network, a Director of John McEwen House, and Patron of Forster Tuncurry Golf Club. 

Wendy has broad experience in financial services, public policy, governance and the customer-owned sector, underpinned by an extensive career in government and industry bodies. 

She previously chaired the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) and NRMA, and served as a NSW Government Minister and Member of Parliament for over a decade. She has held numerous directorships across the transport, tourism and government sectors. Wendy owns and operates a cattle property on the mid north coast of NSW.

Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Master of Commerce, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Member of the Risk and Compliance Committee 

Member of the Remuneration and Governance Committee

John Patton

Independent Director

FCA, MAICD

John was appointed to the Board in 2016. He has also served on the boards of Rural Bank and Lifeplan Friendly Society.

John has deep experience in financial services, particularly customer-owned banking, with a focus on finance, risk and strategy.

He was CFO of the Co-operative Building Society of SA and later Adelaide Bank for 14 years. He is a Chartered Accountant and experienced non-executive director in retail banking and insurance.

John is a Fellow of the Irish Institute of Chartered Accountants, an associate of Chartered Accountants ANZ, and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Member of the Audit Committee

Member of the Risk and Compliance Committee

Wendy Thorpe OAM

Independent Director

BA, BBus, GradDip AppFin & Inv, AMP (Harvard), GAICD, FFin

Wendy was appointed to the Board in 2019. She is Chair of Epworth HealthCare and Online Education Services and a Director of IAG, auDA, and RACQ Insurance.

Wendy is an experienced financial services executive and non-executive director, with expertise in technology, operations and governance.

She has held senior executive roles including CIO and COO at AXA, Group Executive Operations at AMP and General Manager of Institutional Technology at ANZ. She was previously a Director of AMP Bank, Ausgrid, Tower, Very Special Kids and Data Action, and was a member of Council at Swinburne University.

Wendy holds several business and finance qualifications and is a Fellow of Finsia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the finance sector.

People First Bank Roles and Responsibilities

Chair of the Technology and Integration Committee

Member of the Remuneration and Governance Committee