From the boardroom … Graeme Willis

Q: How did you come to be on the board of Bank First?

A: For any board director, often it’s a case of being approached when there's a board vacancy that fit your skill set. In early 2013 I was approached by a recruiting firm to gauge my interest in a vacant director role on the board of Bank First. I had my first board meeting with the organisation in May 2013. 

Q: You have had a long career in financial services, served on several boards, and have worked internationally and for Australia's 'big' banks. What is it about the banking sector that interests you?

A: My career spans 40 years in the banking and finance sectors. From roles at major banks in Australia and Europe, my focus has always been on helping individuals, and corporations achieve their financial objectives. There's nothing better than knowing that the work you're doing is having a positive impact.

Of course, with that comes great responsibility but with a strong board aligned with a supportive Executive Management team and all focused on a clear strategy to benefit customer and in our case, Members, it’s a great sector to be involved in. 

Q: The world is ever evolving and banking is evolving. Do you think a cashless society is inevitable? What other big changes do you foresee for the world of banking generally?

A: There is little doubt that over time cash will become less relevant. We're seeing that today with electronic transactions clearly a favoured form of payment.

Throughout my career, banking has evolved and for those of us (I'll put my hand up here) who didn't grow up with digital technology, it's hard to believe that we can now bank on a phone! It's a fact of life that digital banking is here to stay and changes are coming so quickly that we have no choice but to keep up.

Digital banking is today' reality and it's a world which our people at the front line, our important Member-facing people, are equipped to help our Members navigate.

As to a cashless community? I'm a traditionalist and there's nothing better than a wad of bank notes in the wallet and pocket full of coins but I'm also a realist and I know that like everyone, I need to stay up-to-date with changes in this space.