Chartered accountant and experienced director Laurissa Cooney and Rabobank New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Todd Charteris have been appointed to the Board of Rabobank New Zealand Limited.
Their appointments take effect on 10 March 2025 and will increase the number of Rabobank New Zealand directors to eight.
“We are delighted to have Laurissa join us as an independent director and Todd as executive director,” Rabobank New Zealand Chair Chris Black said. “They will both bring considerable experience and expertise to the Board, as we look to capitalise on the current momentum we have as a specialist food and agribusiness bank in New Zealand.”
Ms Cooney (Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) has extensive financial and governance experience. She is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Ms Cooney is also an independent director at Air New Zealand and Goodman Property and the co-chair of The Aotearoa Circle. She also chairs the audit committee of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Trust, an Auckland iwi settlement entity. Ms Cooney holds a Bachelor of Management Studies with honours from Waikato University.
New Rabobank New Zealand board member Laurissa Cooney
Todd Charteris, CEO and Executive Director, Rabobank New Zealand
Mr Charteris has been Rabobank New Zealand Chief Executive since January 2018, now leading a team of around 550 employees across the country. He has overseen strong growth in Rabobank’s business, taking it to the second largest rural lender in New Zealand.
Mr Charteris joined Rabobank in 2000 and has held a number of senior positions with the bank in both New Zealand and Australia, following previous experience in investment banking and the rural sector.
He grew up on sheep and beef properties in Otago and Southland and brings a wide knowledge of farming and the rural sector. Mr Charteris holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a finance major from the University of Otago.