Australia

Goldman Sachs is not known for getting the bad end of a deal, so it may be a surprise to learn Australia's NAB is buying its wealth management business for A$99 million.

ANZ appointed Joyce Phillips as Group Managing Director Strategy, M&A, Marketing and Innovation and will be part of ANZ’s Management Board.

Telstra has deployed a Salmat VeCommerce voice biometric solution, VeSecure, at the National Australia Bank—a first for the Australian banking industry.

Over the next few months Members Equity Bank will gradually introduce a new logo and colours to remind bankers that it is theirs.

ANZ appointed Susan Yuen and Vishnu Mohan as Chief Executive Officers of Hong Kong and North West Pacific, respectively. Mohan will also be ANZ’s Managing Director in Papua New Guinea.

NAB deployed a voice biometric identification and verification function aimed at delivering enhanced customer experience and security.

St.George Bank of Australia will reduce monthly account service fee from US$5.6 to US$4 per month. Additionally customers who deposit at least US$1610 per month into their account will have their monthly account service fee waived.

Regulators have lifted the ban on short selling bank stocks in Australia, and not surprisingly the prices fell.

HSBC has appointed Paulo Maia, currently Deputy CEO of HSBC Brazil, as CEO of HSBC Bank Australia. The new appointment will come into effect on 1 July 2009. Paulo Maia replaces Stuart Davis, who has been appointed CEO of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in India.

ANZ Bank Vietnam opened a Transaction Centre in Hanoi and a branch outlet in Ho Chi Minh City. It plans to open a further six new transaction offices over the next month.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the long-term ratings of JEM Southbank Pty Limited to A3 from A2. The outlook is stable.

Save and we will match that dollar for dollar, is NAB's message to encourage savings among lower-income Australians.

Australia's NAB is hoping its wealthiest customers will avoid those Swiss bankers and instead take up its family office offerings including cars and gifts.

Whilst the National Australia Bank is accused of looking at offshoring 628 jobs, Westpac chief Gail Kelly says she will not send jobs overseas while the economy remains tough.

Sorry mates, but ANZ and NAB won’t be following the Commonwealth Bank which announced its CEO Ralph Norris will take a 10 percent pay cut whilst ordering his top ten execs to take a 5 percent pay cut.

Aussie ATM gas attacks up this year with six in the last three months alone as bandits find empty streets and cash-filled machines an easy target.