They bring expertise in governance, risk, and transformation to the board
Westpac has announced the appointment of Debra Hazelton and David Cohen as independent non-executive directors, pending regulatory approval.
Hazelton is expected to join the board around March 3, while Cohen’s appointment is anticipated to take effect on or around April 1.
Hazelton will serve on the board remuneration committee, bringing expertise in transformation, capital markets, and corporate culture. Cohen will join the board risk committee, contributing his leadership experience in banking transformation, risk management, and governance.
“We are pleased to welcome Debra and David to the board,” Westpac chairman Steven Gregg said of the appointments. “Their extensive experience across banking and financial services complements the skills of existing directors and will be invaluable as Westpac executes its strategy.”
Hazelton has more than three decades of experience in global financial services, with a particular focus on the Australian and Japanese markets. She has held senior leadership roles, including national CEO positions in both countries, as well as roles in treasury, corporate finance, and organisational culture.
She currently serves as chair of Export Finance Australia, vice president of the Australia-Japan Business Co-operation Committee, and a non-executive director on the boards of Persol Holdings Co. and Australia Post. Hazelton was previously chair of AMP Ltd and AMP Bank.
Cohen has worked in financial services for over 20 years, most recently as deputy chief executive of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) from 2018 to 2023. In that role, he oversaw business divestments, mergers and acquisitions, and customer remediation efforts.
Earlier in his career at CBA, Cohen held senior positions including group general counsel, group executive human resources, group executive corporate affairs, and chief risk officer. Before joining CBA, he was general counsel at AMP and a partner at law firm Allens Arthur Robinson.
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