National Australia Bank has appointed former Queensland premier Anna Bligh to its board.
On Wednesday (5 August), National Australia Bank (NAB) chair Philip Chronican announced that Anna Bligh, the former Queensland premier and ex-Australian Banking Association chief, would join the bank’s board.
NAB said Bligh brought a blend of state government, industry advocacy, and listed‑company governance experience to the role.
Bligh spent 17 years in the Queensland Parliament representing Labor, serving as minister for education, treasurer, and deputy premier before becoming the state’s 37th premier in 2007, a position she held until 2012.
She later crossed into the corporate and peak‑body world, taking over in 2017 as the first female CEO of the Australian Banking Association (ABA) and leading the lobby group through eight years of intense regulatory and cultural scrutiny of the banking industry.
She currently chairs UNICEF Australia’s board and previously spent nine years as a non‑executive director of Medibank Private.
Chronican said Bligh’s background made her an especially valuable addition to NAB’s board.
He said Bligh “would be a significant contributor to the Board given her deep public sector and commercial experience and leadership across sectors including banking and financial services, education, health, infrastructure and the non‑profit sector”.
Chronican also emphasised Bligh’s track record in managing complex organisations through change.
“Anna has run Australia’s third-largest economy as premier and is respected across the business and political spectrum for her thoughtful and collaborative approach,” he said.
“She has provided independent oversight, strategic guidance and risk governance for organisations undergoing growth and transformation.”
Reflecting on her time at the ABA, Chronican said Bligh’s near‑decade in banking had given her a strong feel for the industry’s shifting landscape.
He noted that “she has been deeply involved in the banking sector for almost a decade which has given her a strong understanding of the sector’s issues and opportunities, including the financial services Royal Commission”.
“These have included international trends and challenges facing the industry across technology and regulatory considerations,” he said.
NAB said Bligh’s appointment remained subject to regulatory approval, but added that it expected the appointment to take effect from 1 September.
[Related: NAB calls for National Economic Crime Strategy amid growing mortgage fraud]
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