ANZ Bank gives data a seat at the executive table

ANZ Bank has created a new spot within its executive ranks for data operations, hiring Emma Gray from Woolworths to fill the role.

Emma Gray

Gray leaves her old gig as chief loyalty and data officer at Woolworths to become ANZ's first-ever chief data officer. She will work under new head of digital banking and former Google A/NZ boss Maile Carnegie.

Prior to her year-long stint as Woolworth's data boss, Gray spent two years heading its strategy team, and 12 months before that in a similar role at sporting retailer Rebel. She also served as a partner at Bain & Company for 14 years.

Gray will be tasked with leading the bank's data strategy, specifically "how data is defined, gathered, managed, and protected".

She will lead the creation of a business intelligence capability for the bank, Carnegie said, working with teams across ANZ to "identify the biggest opportunities for us to make better decisions".

Gray joins a slew of new technology executives appointed at the bank since CEO Shayne Elliott took on the top job last year.

Carnegie was hired as ANZ's new digital chief in March, followed by former Dimension Data exec Gerard Florian, who joined as head of technology in November.

The trio replace the bank's former CIO, CTO, and head of digital banking, who all left the organisation in the latter half of 2016.