WESTPAC has confirmed the appointment of former National Australia Bank agribusiness senior sales and service manager Susan Bower as head of agribusiness for Westpac Group's Australian financial services division.
Ms Bower has worked in agribusiness banking for 12 years, beginning as a graduate trainee then an analyst and later serving in agribusiness manager's roles in Moree and Orange.
Originally from a family beef cattle background in the NSW Hunter Valley, she majored in agribusiness, organisational management and animal science at university.
In her new role with Westpac, Ms Bower is responsible for building greater awareness of the bank's agribusiness portfolio and co-ordinating different operations within its financial services division.
Westpac's commercial and agribusiness chief executive Graham Jennings said she brought a deep personal and professional touch to bear in her new job, with hands-on experience, a real understanding of the industry and a deep affinity with customers and clients.
Ms Bower said growing up on a farm gave her invaluable knowledge and insight of the daily challenges facing farmers and pastoralists.
"This is a great industry to be involved and a critically important one too from both a domestic and international perspective," she said.