Banking Review

Ex UBank staffers defect to Australia Post

Former UBank general manager Gerd Schenkel has joined the growing list of bankers being tapped by Australia Post chief Ahmed Fahour as he explores new revenue opportunities for the business.

Schenkel, understood to be consulting to Australia Post, joins former NAB executives Andrew Maitland and Michelle Tredenick, which Banking Review Media publisher Foresight Publishing revealed had been contracted to Post in May.

Maitland has now formally taken on the role of general manager of financial and commercial services at Post.

In a review praising Australia Post’s recently launched iPhone application, Schenkel posted on iTunes a disclosure that Australia Post is a client of his.

Schenkel left UBank prior to a restructure of NAB’s personal banking division which sees the UBank business sitting alongside NAB Broker within a “challenger businesses” unit that it yet to be named. Last week acting general manager, and former UBank head of strategy Alex Twigg was formally appointed to the GM role.

Following the restructure, UBank head of online Monty Hamilton also parted ways with NAB. Sources say Hamilton is also undertaking consulting work for Australia Post.

In April Australia Post revealed plans of a restructure as part of its five year “Future Ready” program, which Fahour says will help Post “embrace the digital world”.

The new organisational structure includes a dedicated eServices business incubator which Post says will explore opportunities such as secure, identity-verified digital communications, eCommerce initiatives and other online services.