Board & Management

Don Magin, Chair
Chief Executive Officer, Greater Building Society, Newcastle

Mr Magin was one of three finalists in the Australian Banking and Finance "CEO of the Year" for 2011. Don has a degree in Mathematics, a Graduate Diploma in Management and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Management.

Sonia Casanova, Director
Director, Country First Credit Union, Griffith

Sonia is a Director with Country First Credit Union, serving members in the Riverina region of NSW. Sonia is also a member of the credit union’s Audit Committee and Policy Committee.

Sonia’s professional background is in marketing, and she currently operates a marketing consultancy business. Sonia’s experience includes over 15 years in marketing and business development roles in the financial services industry and tourism/aviation industry.

Sonia is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australian Mutuals Institute and Australian Marketing Institute. She also holds a Master of Business and Master of Legal Studies.

Andrew Hadley, Director
Group General Manager, Strategy & Marketing, CUA

Andrew has more than two decades experience working in a diverse range of roles within the mutual sector. He has extensive experience leading both front and back office divisions and has served on several subsidiary and community boards.

He is currently responsible for strategy and marketing at CUA, and committed to promoting the industry as a compelling alternative to the major banks.

Scott King, Director
Chief Executive Officer, Qantas Staff Credit Union, Sydney

Scott King is CEO of Qantas Staff Credit Union and is the Chairman of the Indue Board Corporate Governance Committee. He is also a Director of the Australasian Mutuals Institute (AMI). Prior to joining the Qantas Staff Credit Union Scott worked within the wholesale banking environment. Scott is a Chartered Accountant having spent 5 years at KPMG specialising in the Banking division.

John Minz, Director
Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank, Toowoomba

John Minz is the CEO of Heritage Bank Limited, Australia's largest mutual bank. With more than $6 billion in total assets, John has steered Heritage through its most recent growth phase. Appointed to the role in late 2003, under John's leadership Heritage has returned more than $95 million to members in additional member value and maintained member satisfaction ratings above 90%. John has more than twenty years experience in the financial services sector. Heritage changed its branding from a building society to a mutual bank effective 1 December 2011. 

Tony Ryan, Director
Chief Executive Officer, Big Sky Credit Union, Melbourne

Tony has over 24 years experience in the mutual sector as both a Director and Executive Manager and is a founding Director of Abacus – Australian Mutuals. Prior to the mutual sector, Tony's experience includes senior executive positions within Victorian Government Statutory Authorities.

Tony holds a Bachelor of Business and Diploma of Financial Planning. He is a Fellow of CPA Australia, Finsia and the Australasian Mutuals Institute.

Andrew Saxby, Director
Chief Executive Officer, Hume Building Society, Albury

Andrew Saxby is the Chief Executive Officer and Company Secretary of Hume Building Society, which serves over 50,000 members in the North Eastern Victorian and Southern NSW regions. Andrew has over 21 years experience in the mutual industry, including 6 years as the CFO of Heritage Building Society prior to taking up his role with Hume. Andrew was Deputy Chairman of AAPBS prior to the establishment of Abacus in 2006 and is a founding director of the industry body for Australian mutuals.

Andrew has qualifications in accounting and 9 years of service with the Australian Army.

Margot Sweeny, Director
Chief Executive Officer, The Summerland Credit Union, Lismore

Margot Sweeny is the Chief Executive Officer of The Summerland Credit Union Ltd. Margot has worked in accounting and finance across both the public and private sectors for national and international companies. Her involvement with mutual organisations commenced in 1993 when she became a Director of Summerland Credit Union. She is an active member of the local community and has been ministerially appointed to both State and Federal Boards. She is also a Member of the Southern Cross University Council and Chair of the Audit Committee.

William Wolke, Director
Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Teachers Credit Union, Melbourne

William Wolke has been the Chief Executive Officer of Victoria Teachers Credit Union (VTCU) since 2002 and has more than twenty years experience in financial services, both in Australia and overseas. Victoria Teachers Credit Union has established itself as a progressive and modern Credit Union in its chosen market, the education community.

William’s career has included general management and director appointments in a mutual building society, retail and commercial banking, financial planning, and included leadership roles in management consulting and the accounting professions.

He holds chartered accountancy and master of business administration qualifications.

Management

The management team of Abacus – Australian Mutuals.

Louise Petschler is the Chief Executive Officer of Abacus – Australian Mutuals. Louise is also a Director of the World Council of Credit Unions, the peak international body for the credit union movement globally.

Before her current appointment, Louise led the Public Affairs team at Abacus and its predecessor organisations, overseeing representation, advocacy and media. Prior to 2001, Louise was with the Australian Consumers’ Association working on financial services issues.

Previous roles include positions with the NSW Cabinet Office and the former Chemical Bank (in Australia and the US). Louise has memberships with the Australasian Mutuals Institute and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Louise is based in Sydney and has qualifications in Political Science and Public Policy.

Mark Degotardi is the Head of Public Affairs for Abacus. Mark has worked in the Public Affairs team at Abacus since 2003. Prior to taking a role with the CUSCAL Industry Association (the predecessor to Abacus) in February 2003, Mark worked in the NSW Cabinet Office, in various roles in the development and construction industry and as a senior taxation consultant at Arthur Andersen & Co. Mark’s qualifications are in political science. Mark is a member of the Mutuals Advisory Committee to the Financial Ombudsman Scheme, an external dispute resolution scheme for many Abacus members.

Dominic is Head of Business Services at Abacus, which covers Compliance Services, Abacus Legal, Fraud and Financial Crimes, Research Services and Movement Marketing Database. He has been with Abacus and the Cuscal group for more than 13 years. Before joining the mutual sector, Dominic’s career has included roles at a major bank in consumer and corporate finance, institutional banking, strategic planning and economic research. Dominic has Bachelor of Economics and Master of Business degrees.