Finance leaders recognised in King’s Birthday Honours List

• 581 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (14 appointed Companion of the Order [AC]; 31 appointed Officer of the Order [AO]; 123 appointed Member of the Order [AM]; and 413 awarded Medal of the Order [OAM]).

   

   

• 36 awards in the Military Division of the Order of Australia (3 AO, 10 AM, and 23 OAM).

• 149 Meritorious awards.

• 64 Distinguished and Conspicuous awards.

Of the 581 recipients in the General Division of the Order of Australia, there are 378 male and 202 female recipients, with one person choosing not to provide gender information.

The youngest recipient on the list was 19 years old, while the eldest living recipient was 101 years old.

Baker named AM

Among the finance industry leaders recognised is former CEO and managing director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Baker.

Baker was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to the financial and banking sectors”.

As well as serving as CEO and MD of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank from 2018–24, Baker has also been the deputy chair of the Australian Banking Association (2018–24) and a director of Rural Bank and has held numerous directorships in the finance and community sectors.

She is currently a member of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Monetary Policy Board and a director of the Australian Retirement Trust and is also a member of Chief Executive Women, the Business Council of Australia, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Also recognised in this year’s Birthday Honours List is Kathryn Fagg AO, a non-executive director (NED) at National Australia Bank (NAB).

Fagg – who was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018 – has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for “eminent service to business governance, to the banking, finance and investment industry, to public administration, to the not-for-profit sector, and to women”.

As well as serving as a NED at NAB, Fagg is also currently a NED at Medibank Private Ltd and at Djerriwarrh Investments and chaired the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 2021–25.

Fagg served on the Reserve Bank of Australia board between 2013 and 2018 and was the chair of building materials company Boral between 2018 and 2021. She was also the president of Chief Executive Women between 2016 and 2018.

Other members of the finance industry recognised this year include:

• Rebecca McGrath - Named Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to business through leadership roles in compliance, audit and finance”. McGrath is currently a NED at Macquarie Group and Bank and a former CFO at oil and gas giant BP.

• Alison Tarditi - Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the finance industry”. She is currently the chief investment officer at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and a former chair of the Global Future Council, Long-term Investing at the World Economic Forum. She also served as a senior economist/econometrician and head of the financial conditions department at the Reserve Bank of Australia (1988–97).

• Wendy Thorpe - Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the financial sector”. Thorpe is currently the president of Epworth Healthcare and is a NED at People’s Choice Credit Union, IAG Limited, and auDA. She has held a range of banking positions, including as a NED at AMP Bank (2017–19), the general manager for institutional technology at ANZ Bank (2007–08).

• David Armstrong - Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to the not-for-profit sector, to the arts, and to the financial sector”. He served as a NED at National Australia Bank (2014–23) and is currently a non-executive director at Insurance Australia Group (IAG).

• Charles Macek - Recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to corporate governance, and to the financial services industry”. Macek has held numerous leadership and governance roles, including as a member of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and was most recently a senior corporate adviser at engineering company MMC in Australia.

• Keith Tuffley - Awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to conservation and environmental sustainability, and to the financial sector”. He was the chairman for energy transition and sustainability and investment banking at Citigroup last year and was vice-chairman of Citi Australia between 2019 and 2020. He was the managing director at Goldman Sachs (2002–08) and UBS Investment Bank (1996–2002).

Announcing the list, the Governor-General said: “I am delighted to congratulate all those recognised in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours List.

“These honours recognise the selfless service, integrity, achievement, creativity, and care that flourish across our country.

“As your Governor-General, I see the values of care, kindness and respect in the many Australians who are honoured today, and in those who have been recognised throughout the fifty-year history of our Australian honours system.

“Every day, and all across the country, Australians are doing extraordinary things with passion, generosity, energy, and resolve. To all who are being recognised in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours List, I want to offer my congratulations and gratitude for all that you have given to Australia – and I look forward to meeting many of you at the investiture of your awards.”

Award recipients will attend investiture ceremonies at the Government House in their respective state or territory in the coming months to receive the insignia of their award.

[Related: Former bank boss named in Australia Day Honours List]