Executive Management

Paul Hutchinson | Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director

Paul Hutchinson joined Rural Bank as Chief Executive Officer in October 2006. Before joining Rural Bank he was Chief Operating Officer, Customer Solutions with New Zealand Post Limited responsible for the sales and distribution capabilities of the group. Paul brings strong and diverse management and financial services credentials acquired through nearly 20 years of experience in the Australian and New Zealand banking industry, including senior appointments with Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank and Bank of New Zealand. Paul is a member of the Rural Bank Board in addition to being a member of the Bank’s Risk, Audit and Credit Committees. Paul has attended the New Zealand Bankers Institute (in association with Victoria University, Wellington) Bankers Course and is a graduate of Harvard Business School Executive Management programme.

Bruce Speirs| Chief Financial Officer

Bruce Speirs joined Rural Bank as Chief Financial Officer in November 2012, in conjunction with his senior leadership role with the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group’s Finance and Treasury division. Bruce joined the Group in 2004 and since that time has held a broad range of responsibilities in both finance and front line businesses. Prior to joining the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group, Bruce worked for Ernst & Young for nine years, working in Audit and Corporate Finance roles. During this time he gained international experience through secondments to the USA and United Kingdom. Bruce is a Chartered Accountant and an MBA graduate of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

Peter Corolis | General Manager Operations

Peter Corolis commenced with Rural Bank in August 2005 in the role of General Manager, Risk bringing significant experience in risk management, regulatory affairs, organisational design and change management. In his current role he is responsible for the Operations and Information Systems of Rural Bank. Prior to joining the bank he was the State Manager for the South Australian Office of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Peter is an alumni of the Harvard Business School Executive Management program. He has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investments. He is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia.

John Marshall | General Manager Marketing, Products & Customer Management

John Marshall joined Rural Bank in July 2010, after spending 5 years as General Manager of Premium Business for New Zealand Post. Prior to that, John spent 10 years working for Westpac Banking Corporation, where he held a variety of senior positions spanning sales management, marketing execution and distribution strategy. John is a graduate of Exeter University in the UK, where he studied Economics.

John is an experienced sales and marketing practitioner and a strong customer advocate. His executive role at Rural Bank carries responsibility for all aspects of the bank's marketing strategy including customer insight, database management, customer segmentation, brand strategy, product management and development, channel marketing, campaign execution and marketing communications.

Max Ormsby | General Manager Credit

Max joined Rural Bank as General Manager Credit in September 2012. Max Ormsby joined Elders Pastoral as General Manager Rural Finance in 1990 following a successful 23 year career with the National Australia Bank (NAB). Within NAB he held several senior positions both domestically and internationally. In 1996, on the takeover of Elders by the Futuris Group, Max moved into the parent’s Corporate Office and held executive positions including Group Treasurer, Director Finance and Director Risk. In 2006 he moved from being an executive to a professional director, including several boards of companies in which Elders retained an equity interest.

Max cites the formation of Rural Bank as a career highlight. He led the Elders/Futuris strategic team which developed the concept leading to Elders Rural Bank being established as a 50/50 joint venture with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. Max was a Director of Rural Bank from its incorporation until Elders sold their final shareholding in December 2010.

Max is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Directors and the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Sam Moore | General Manager Sales

Sam Moore joined Rural Bank’s Executive team in July 2011 as General Manager Sales. Before that he was responsible for various equity interests of shareholder, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. Sam joined the group in 2005 and performed a variety of roles, including acting as a Rural Bank Director. Sam brings strong and diverse management and financial services credentials acquired through 17 years in the Australian and international banking industry, initially as a lawyer advising and structuring large and complex financings throughout Europe, Asia and America, and then in Australia in structured credit, sales and management roles in the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group. Sam graduated from the University of Adelaide with degrees in both Commerce and Law and is admitted to practice law in both Australia and England. He recently completed the Harvard Business School APM183 program.

Bruce Debenham | General Manager Business Capability

Bruce Debenham joined Rural Bank as National Head of Credit in March 2010 and was appointed to his current role in December 2011. Bruce is responsible for identifying and implementing change initiatives to improve processes and procedures and ultimately improve the Bank’s service delivery to customers and business partners. Before joining Rural Bank, Bruce was State Head of Risk with National Australia Bank responsible for the Credit and Asset Management teams for Business Banking in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Bruce is a senior risk management professional with twenty years experience in the finance and banking, insolvency and management consulting industries in the United Kingdom and Australia with exposure to a variety of industries in agricultural, commercial and retail banking. Bruce is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia in addition to being a member of the Bank’s Risk and Credit Committees.

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