Veteran HR executive to join Westpac's leadership team
Westpac has announced the appointment of Kate Dee (pictured above) as its next chief people officer, with her expected to begin the role later this year.
Dee currently holds the same position at Bupa Asia Pacific, where she has served since 2018. Her previous roles include general manager of talent at National Australia Bank and executive director of global organisation and leadership development at Time Warner, based in London.
A New Zealand national, Dee is a fellow of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She also holds degrees in Psychology and German from Victoria University.
Dee’s appointment comes as part of a broader leadership refresh at Westpac. In February, the bank named Paul Fowler as chief executive of business and wealth, and appointed Peter Herbert as chief transformation officer. Debra Hazelton and David Cohen were also appointed as independent non-executive directors.
In her new role, Dee will report to group chief executive Anthony Miller, who was promoted to the position following the retirement of former CEO Peter King in late 2024.
“Kate is a highly accomplished leader who has successfully steered people and culture teams in a range of industries around the world,” Miller said. “She will be a great addition to the Westpac group executive.
“At Westpac, we have 35,000 wonderful people and we are on a mission to make this the best place to work. Kate will help us reach that goal.
“I look forward to seeing Kate’s energetic and engaging approach in action at Westpac, alongside her steady focus on linking customer outcomes to an organisation’s people and culture.”
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