What attracted you to APRA?

One of them is around public service. And I've had the opportunity to contribute to public service in many ways, both as an elected representative, as an international civil servant at the OECD, and now through this opportunity to be Deputy Chair and a Member of the APRA Board. So public service is an important one.

But I think also more generally, I really believe very much in regulated markets. I believe that our markets can produce efficient outcomes, they can produce good outcomes, but you need tailored regulation. You need effective regulation. Governments often design those rules, but regulators are absolutely central to ensuring that those rules are enforced and that those rules ensure that the system works the way it was intended.

I'm really passionate about serving the public but doing so in a way that ensures that our economy and that our systems and the regulation that we have is supporting the best possible outcomes for individuals.

What experiences and skills from your career to you expect to apply to the APRA role?

I've worked in government and I've had responsibility for providing oversight of a number of our economic regulators like APRA, and I understand the broader context within which regulation is taking place in our economy.

I had the great privilege of spending a decade at the OECD as a senior executive, and that gave me the ability to see the important but often different ways in which countries approach regulation, sometimes more effectively than others. But through all of these roles, I've had the ability to contribute and to shape policy, which is an important element of what APRA does.

In terms of some of the particular skills, I guess stakeholder engagement, negotiation, trying to reach consensus has been something that has often been at the centre of the work that I've done, both in government in Australia but also at the OECD where working with more than 145 countries we were able to negotiate a consensus based international tax agreement. So, bringing those skills, I'm very much looking forward to the work that I'm going to have the opportunity to do at APRA.

What are your impressions of the superannuation industry?

Australia is really recognised for its superannuation system. It involves policy innovation, it involves long-term planning and an increasing degree of sophistication. But most importantly, the sector has grown to become such an important pool of capital for our country and we're seeing it deployed and invested all around the world. Now, all of those things are really important and I think they're fascinating features of our system. But the most important thing about superannuation is that it is about ensuring that working Australians have access to dignity and security in their retirement. And I think that that is an objective that so far has been achieved and that's got to be an ongoing focus of APRA's work to ensure that people have confidence that the system is going to deliver for them security in retirement.

What are the biggest challenges in superannuation?

I think there are many challenges that the superannuation sector is facing and will continue to face for many years into the future. Certainly, the size and the scale of superannuation as a pool of capital, it's reached a level where it is of systemic importance in our economy. And obviously, when any sector or industry reaches that level of maturity and scale, then it does require that you're able to, from a governance perspective, from a management perspective, that you're able to meet the highest possible standards because the costs of not getting it right are so great.

So, I think that one of the challenges is ensuring that the scale of super is matched by an uplift in in governance, an uplift in capability to ensure that this really crucial sector to our economy is also matched by the highest level of professionalism and skills.

Many outstanding people have contributed to the sector over many years. But it's an ongoing challenge to continue to make sure that the sector can be the best that it can be. Because at the end of the day, managing the retirement funds of individual Australians is a huge responsibility. And it's a responsibility that we will work with all trustees to ensure that they're delivering in a way that allows those individuals, those people behind the dollars, the ability to be able to retire with the dignity that they hope for and, I think under our system of superannuation, have come to expect.

In the context of an ageing population, there are geopolitical threats that threaten our systems right across our economy. But all of these considerations are ones that mean that superannuation is going to be front and centre of so many of the important discussions that we have in our economy, and in our political economy, as we move forward over the coming years.

What impact do you aspire to make at APRA?

My background has always involved widespread and enthusiastic stakeholder engagement. So, I will be very keen to be out engaging with stakeholders right across the industry. But to your question around what do I hope to achieve or what would be a visible sign of impact in this role, I said earlier that I think our superannuation system is something that the country should be proud of. It's a policy innovation and a policy achievement, not because of its architecture, but because of what it delivers for people.

But we need to ensure that in a system where it's compulsory for people to have their money set aside, for them to put their money aside, that we have a system that delivers in their best interests and delivers for them in the dignity that they expect and deserve in retirement.

So, for me, the most important measure of success is people's level of confidence in the superannuation system, Confident that the system is working well, that it's being governed well and that all efforts from stakeholders are directed towards the principal purpose of delivering for members, delivering for people, so that the money that they need for a dignified retirement is there when they need it.

What are your passions outside of work and how do these apply in your professional life?

I love sport and I love to exercise and I think they're both connected, but they're both a really important part of the way I see the world, but also the way I see the work that I'm engaged in.

So, if you think about sport, there are values there, whether it's playing by the rules, both to the letter and the spirit of the rules, whether it be teamwork and the ability to work with others. And obviously I'm really looking forward to the opportunity as part of the Board to work as part of a team, but also with all of the staff at APRA, working across this country to ensure that we have the sort of prudential supervision that we need. I'm looking forward to being a part of that team as well.

I think the other thing about sport and exercise is that it's about preservation, it's about welfare, it's about improving who you are and also managing the stresses of your day-to-day life. So, for me, exercise is an important part of managing what would otherwise be a really punishing regime each day at work and with family. I think that it's an important outlet, but it's also a way of trying to keep agile in in mind as well as in body and being able to ensure that you bring your best person, your best self to the job every day. So, I'm looking forward to drawing upon those things that I enjoy doing in my personal life to support the work that I have the opportunity to do at APRA.