NAB poaches AI chief from CBA
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The news: National Australia Bank has appointed Mahya Knox as its chief AI officer, poaching her from the Commonwealth Bank where she was general manager of AI and agentic AI.
NAB confirmed Knox will accelerate the bank's use of responsible AI to drive better experiences for customers and staff alike, embedding the technology in operations spanning from front line customer service through to core banking operations.
Due to start in early April, Knox will draw on her experience built up from her time at CBA and before that at McKinsey's QuantumBlack, where she was for almost seven years, most recently as an AI associate partner.
NAB said Knox had demonstrated technical capability with the ability to deliver AI programs at scale, and would work on building the governance, talent and partnerships that would help the bank work more efficiently.
What they said: In a statement provided to Capital Brief Pete Steel, NAB group executive of digital, data and AI, said the hire reflected the bank's commitment to AI.
"The capabilities we’re already seeing with AI are helping us transform the way our colleagues work, and the experiences we can deliver for customers," he said. "I’m excited to have someone of Mahya’s calibre join NAB to lead AI and accelerate our ambition to be Australia’s most customer-centric company."
The context: CBA chief data analytics officer Andrew McMullan was poached by Westpac last year, as part of an ongoing war for talent, especially tech talent, at the big banks. The move led chief executive Matt Comyn to lament to Capital Brief last year that he was the only executive in the team not to be approached by a rival.
The source: NAB statement
