Kelly to head Westpac for another 3 years

The lender’s chairman denied reports of Kelly’s replacement as she vowed to lead customer-focused retail banking strategy.

Westpac chief executive Gail Kelly has given the strongest indication yet she is in for the long haul at Australia's second-largest bank, after recent reports she could be on the way out.

Mrs Kelly, who has headed the bank for the past three years, has revealed she plans to lead it for at least the next three years before contemplating her future.

In two interviews, Mrs Kelly said she would remain with the bank as it pressed forward with its new "customer-focused" retail banking strategy.

"It certainly is not that time now," Mrs Kelly said when asked if she had contemplated a leadership transition. "I'm really right on momentum, on an agenda and on a journey. It's been a platform-building first three years for me at the Westpac Group.

"We have had to actually deal with the global financial crisis, we had the merger with St George, which was transformational for our group, as well as putting in a new strategy and the investment that underpins that."

There was recent speculation the Westpac board had hired an international recruitment firm to begin searching for a replacement.

View the full story in The Australian.