Rabobank Australia has confirmed Carolyn Colley (pictured) as its new board chair, taking over from James Fazzino, who is departing after more than six years on the board. The appointment took effect on 31 August.
Colley joined the Rabobank Australia board in April 2025 and brings more than three decades of executive and non-executive experience across financial services, technology, and digital innovation to the role.
Announcing the change, Rabobank managing board member for wholesale & rural, Els Kamphof, pointed to Colley's background in governance and digital strategy as key to the decision.
"Carolyn's exceptional understanding of the financial services marketplace, and her expertise in technology strategy and digital transformation, makes her ideally placed to lead the board as Rabobank supports our Australian clients' future growth," Kamphof said.
Kamphof also noted Colley's grounding in regulated environments and her ties to the agricultural sector, adding that she "brings deep experience across audit, risk, financial, and product governance in complex regulated environments."
Colley currently holds non-executive director roles with Count, the ASX's clearing and settlement boards, and Smartgroup Corporation, and chairs not-for-profit Liverpool Neighbourhood Connections. Her earlier board experience includes Milford Asset Management, IOOF Trustees, and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, alongside senior executive roles at Macquarie Bank, St George Bank and BT Financial Group.
At Macquarie, her roles included head of personal banking — a division spanning mortgages, cash, credit cards, and start-up businesses — where she led the build of the bank's first mobile banking app and its digital intermediary capability, according to her LinkedIn profile. She also co-founded workforce analytics platform Faethm, serving as its chief operating officer.
Kamphof thanked Fazzino, who chaired the board from 2023 after joining as a director in 2020, citing his "passion for Australian agriculture and his leadership and business acumen."
Fazzino, in turn, described it as a "privilege to work with the exceptional people of Rabobank in supporting Australian farming families and communities."
For her part, Colley said she was "honoured and excited to take on the role of chair of Rabobank Australia," and pointed to plans to work alongside regional manager and CEO Caroline Oosterbaan and the wider board to grow the bank's Australian presence.
Rabobank Australia's board also includes Christine Feldmanis, Clive Stiff, Geerten Battjes, Angelique Meddeler, and Oosterbaan.
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