The below speech was delivered by NAB CEO Ross McEwan at an Australian Banking Association and Trans-Tasman Business Circle event in Sydney on Thursday, 22 February.
**Check against delivery**
Good afternoon, it’s wonderful to be here. It was great to hear from both the Australian Treasurer and New Zealand Finance Minister earlier.
It’s with mixed emotions that this is one of my last external engagements before retiring from NAB and banking in April.
I have loved my career in banking. The sector has incredible purpose in helping people and communities prosper.
So, there’s sadness in saying goodbye to my outstanding colleagues at NAB and others I’ve worked alongside in banking to try and live up to that purpose.
At the same time I will leave proud of the work done at NAB and across the industry to regain trust and respect with customers. Trust is hard to win but very easy to lose.
We’re in good shape, but with my standard caveat: there’s more to do.
