Rabobank New Zealand Leadership team

Chief Executive Officer (based in Hamilton)

Todd Charteris

Todd has headed Rabobank, New Zealand’s only specialist food and agri bank, since January 2018. He leads a team of more than 500 banking professionals, backed by a global research team of around 100 experts, supporting food and agri producers through a network of 27 offices and offering online retail savings and deposit services.

Before taking on the CEO role, Todd served more than 15 years in regional roles in New Zealand and as a former National Manager of Country Banking in Australia. He brings a wide knowledge of diverse farming systems, the realities facing producers and the importance of sustainability for the sector as it responds to a changing environment.

Todd grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Otago. He joined Rabobank in 2000, following his Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) studies at University of Otago and early career experience as a livestock agent, and in investment banking in London.

Todd Charteris Chief Executive Officer of Rabobank New Zealand

General Manager Country Banking (based in Hamilton)

Bruce Weir

Bruce is General Manager of Country Banking. He leads a team of 280 banking specialists around the country, who are passionate about the food and agri sector. Bruce grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Wairoa, Northern Hawkes Bay. His banking career began in 2000 when he joined Rabobank as a Finance Officer and transitioned through various customer-focused and leadership roles before his appointment as General Manager Country Banking in 2019.

Bruce holds a Diploma in Agriculture and a Bachelor of Applied Science from Massey University. He has outside interests in both dairy farming and horticulture, which adds to his wealth of experience working in and alongside rural communities.

Acting Chief Sustainability Officer (based in Dunedin)

Blake Holgate

Hailing from a South Otago sheep and beef farming family, Blake has an LLB, BA (Political Studies) and MBA from Otago University and practised as an environmental/public lawyer before joining Rabobank in 2013. As well as covering various sustainability roles with the bank, Blake has also worked in Rabobank’s global market research team as the New Zealand Animal Proteins analyst.

Before stepping into the Acting CSO role in April 2024, Blake was Head of Sustainable Business Development for Rabobank New Zealand. In that role, Blake contributed towards Rabobank policy submissions to Government on regulations affecting the sector, produced reports and podcasts for Rabobank clients that examined issues linked to sustainable farming, and developed new products and services aimed at supporting clients’ businesses to be more commercially and environmentally sustainable.

Blake’s contributions have provided clients with tools to help them understand and manage increasing environmental, societal and market risk, and to identify opportunities within their own businesses, created by a scarcity of resources and a growing global population.

Chief Compliance Officer (based in Hamilton)

Hayley Cassidy

Hayley joined Rabobank in September 2023, bringing significant experience in executive leadership and governance. She has qualifications in law, mediation, banking, organisational psychology and corporate governance. With strong rural connections, Hayley is excited about contributing to Rabobank’s purpose as a food and agribusiness specialist bank.

Hayley’s senior roles have included Chief General Counsel at Bank of New Zealand, General Counsel and Company Secretary at fund manager Nikko Asset Management New Zealand, and Lawyer and Crown Prosecutor at law firms Ronayne Hollister-Jones Lellman and also Meredith Connell.

General Manager Human Resources (based in Hamilton)

Rose Ford

Rose joined Rabobank in October 2018. She has extensive executive leadership experience across a range of HR disciplines including change management, culture and organisational development, leadership development, talent management, employee relations, remuneration, talent acquisition, and strategic HR. Rose’s experience also extends to health and safety, quality, change and communications.

She has experience leading high performing teams in a global context and working across infrastructure and engineering, tourism marketing, financial services and insurance, higher education, ICT, food manufacturing and health sectors.

Her recent roles include General Manager People for Opus International Consultants, General Manager People at Tourism NZ, and Head of People for AXA New Zealand.

Head of Corporate Affairs (based in Wellington)

Craig Howie

Craig joined Rabobank in November 2018 in this newly created role to increase Rabobank New Zealand’s local capabilities with respect to government and stakeholder relations, internal communications, and media relations.

Craig’s background and experience is broad. He spent the first part of his career as a financial journalist and business editor and has considerable experience in both corporate and government communications. From 2008, Craig worked in various New Zealand government roles including Senior Press Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, then Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition. His background includes issues management, government and financial communications, along with a strong track record in media management and team leadership.

Chief Risk Officer (based in Hamilton)

Richard Lorraway

Richard joined Rabobank in December 2020 as the Chief Risk Officer to lead the Risk Management function of the Bank. Richard grew up in New Zealand and is an experienced risk executive with more than 30 years of banking and risk management experience gained through a number of international banks in both New Zealand and Australia, as well as working in Singapore.

Richard holds a Master of Business Administration, is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program, INSEAD International Business School, Fontainebleau in France, and is a Fellow of FINSIA.

Chief Financial Officer (based in Hamilton)

Andy Macleod

Andy joined Rabobank in December 2018 as Head of Finance before being appointed Chief Financial Officer in May 2019. He has significant financial and agribusiness experience and has held a number of leadership roles both in New Zealand and overseas.

As an advocate for the primary sector, Andy’s role on the leadership team allows him to have influence across the entire business and ensure the Bank remains focused on the growth and success of its clients. He is a strategic thinker with the ability to forecast regional outcomes from global economic impact assessments.

General Manager Products and Deposits (based in Hamilton)

Hamish McKegg

Hamish joined Rabobank in July 2012 and became General Manager of Products and Deposits in October 2021. Hamish is responsible for leading Rabobank’s Online Savings channel, product management and development, marketing and customer resolutions. Hamish’s career before working at Rabobank was primarily in the financial services industry.

Hamish holds a Commerce Degree (Marketing) from the University of Otago and a Graduate Diploma (Accounting) from the University of Auckland. He also holds an ACA designation from the Chartered Accountants Institute of New Zealand.

Chief Operating Officer (based in Wellington)

Mike Watt

Mike joined Rabobank in March 2024 and is responsible for leading the Bank’s New Zealand Operations team. He has extensive experience in strategy, delivery and operations to senior levels in large, complex organisations, with a particular focus on leveraging technology. Mike, was previously Executive General Manager – Enterprise Technology at Xero, where he was also co-lead of the Crisis Management Team.

Before joining Xero in 2019, Mike was Director, Student Transformation at Victoria University in Wellington, focusing on digital transformation and contributing to the University’s first long-term digital strategy. Mike has an MBA from Victoria University.

Head of Wholesale Banking (based in Auckland)

Adam Thumath

Adam is responsible for Rabobank New Zealand’s corporate client relationships and lending exposures, which extend across post-farm gate; animal protein, consumer foods and beverages, dairy, farm inputs, forestry, horticulture, seafood, viticulture and supporting sub-sectors.

The Rabobank New Zealand Wholesale Banking Team is based in Auckland, with a national mandate to support leading corporate sized businesses that operate within food & agriculture or adjacent sectors.

Adam joined Rabobank in June 2018 after more than 10 years with a domestic bank that included Corporate and Institutional Banking roles in New Zealand and Europe, predominantly in the post farm-gate agribusiness sector. His experience across corporate banking, structured lending, loan syndications and acquisition finance is well suited to Rabobank’s Wholesale strategy of developing tailored solutions to efficiently finance companies’ supply chains and investment for growth.

Adam holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors and senior prizes in Finance and Accounting from the University of Auckland.

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