Michelle Winzer joins Heartland Bank Australia as CEO

22 July 2024

Today, Monday, 22 July, Michelle Winzer begins her role as Chief Executive Officer of digital specialist bank, Heartland Bank Australia Limited (Heartland Bank).

Heartland Bank was established in May 2024 following the acquisition of Challenger Bank Limited by New Zealand registered bank, Heartland Bank Limited (part of the Heartland Group Holdings Limited group of companies). Heartland Bank in Australia was formed when Challenger Bank came together with the Heartland group’s Australian specialist finance businesses: Heartland Finance and StockCo.

Heartland Bank is Australia’s largest ADI provider of reverse mortgages, a specialist provider of livestock finance (through the StockCo brand), and is proud to offer competitive term deposit rates to help Australians get the most out of their money. Heartland Bank is focused on providing Australians with specialist banking products that are the best or only of their kind, through digital channels.

With more than 30 years’ experience in banking and financial services, Michelle joins Heartland Bank from RACQ Bank in Queensland where she was Chief Executive Banking. Previously, Michelle was Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Melbourne, and worked in senior roles at Bankwest, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Westpac.

Michelle is an authentic visionary leader with extensive experience delivering cultural transformation. She has a strong values-based leadership style and is passionate about diversity and inclusion. Based at Heartland Bank’s Melbourne office, Michelle will focus on executing the bank’s strategic priorities for continued growth, as it looks to help more Australians to do more with their money. Whether that be helping people make the most from their savings, supporting livestock producers to access capital with specialist livestock finance, or providing reverse mortgage solutions to help Australia’s ageing population to live a more comfortable retirement.

Heartland Bank Chair and Independent Non-Executive Director, Geoff Summerhayes, said “the Board is thrilled to have Michelle leading our team of high calibre executives. We are ambitious for the new Heartland Bank to continue the growth of Heartland’s specialist business in reverse mortgages and livestock finance”.

“Michelle is a strong leader, who has a track record of delivering outcomes. The banking landscape and product set has contracted in recent years, and we believe there is great potential for a focused specialist bank, like Heartland Bank, to meet the needs of underserved segments such as older Australians and livestock graziers with our ‘best or only’ banking strategy. The Board is excited to have Michelle onboard to lead the execution of Heartland Bank’s strategy.”