John Evans
Chair
BCompt, ACA, MAICD.
John was appointed to the Beyond Bank Australia Board on 1 October 2022, and appointed Chair in November 2025. He is a former audit and assurance partner with global accounting firm KPMG and has over 40 years' Australian and international experience in business, finance, assurance and risk management. John specialised in financial services and has worked extensively with boards and mutual organisations in the financial services sector. John is based in Buderim, Queensland.
Joanne (Jodie) Baker
Director
BCom(Acc), GradDipAppFin, TFASFA, GAICD.
Jodie was appointed to the Beyond Bank Australia Board in November 2017. She has over 30 years’ experience in banking and funds management, specialising in risk. Jodie’s prior executive roles include Managing Partner at governance and risk advisory firm, Blackhall & Pearl, CEO of Morgij Analytics, and senior executive risk roles at ANZ, Société Générale and BT Funds Management. Jodie is based in Sydney, New South Wales.
Helen Thornton
Director
Helen joined the Board of Beyond Bank in November 2025. She brings over 35 years of financial, audit, risk management and governance experience across a diverse range of industries including APRA regulated financial services and member-owned entities. Helen is a Chartered Accountant and has held senior executive roles at Deloitte, KPMG, BHP Ltd and BlueScope Steel Ltd. She has over 20 years of experience as a non-executive director and is currently Chair of Ansvar Insurance Ltd, Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair of McPhersons Ltd and Arena REIT Ltd, and Deputy Chair of Treasury Corporation of Victoria. Helen is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Helen is based in Melbourne, Victoria.
Trent Bartlett
Director
GradDipBus, GradDipCom, FAICD, IDP-C.
Trent was appointed to the Beyond Bank Australia Board in September 2016. He has over 25 years of CEO and Independent Director experience in listed public companies, large private companies, not-for-profits and for-benefit focused enterprises operating with diverse business models and scale across many industry sectors. Trent has a speciality in member owned/member governed businesses and is a Fellow and Faculty Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Trent is based in Perth, Western Australia.
Cynthia (Cindy) Batchelor
Director
BCom (Accounting/Commercial Law), Grad Dip Business (Human Resource Mgmt), GAICD.
Cindy joined the Beyond Bank Board in February 2025. Over the past 30 years, she has gained extensive experience as a senior leader in banking and financial services in front line, strategy development/implementation and human resources roles. Cindy has previously held a range of senior executive roles across business banking, not-for-profit and professional services with National Australia Bank Ltd, Australian Red Cross and Pitcher Partners. She is the Chair of the Board of Auto & General Insurance Company having served as a Non-Executive Director for the past five years as well as being the Victorian Chapter Chair of Chief Executive Women. Cindy is based in Melbourne, Victoria.
Steven (Steve) Coles
Director
GAICD.
Steve was appointed to the Beyond Bank Australia Board in September 2022. He has nearly 30 years' experience of operating at C-level across global financial services businesses. Steve’s prior executive roles include the Global CTO for Allianz. He has a passion for improving and protecting member services through technology and effectively managing cyber risk. He is also a member of the Board of Youi Insurance and Chairs the OUTsurance Group Board Technology Committee covering South Africa, Ireland, and Australia. Steve is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Steve is based in Sydney, New South Wales.
About the Board of Directors.
Board structure.
To enable the Board to perform all of its functions, it is necessary to have a well-structured Board. A requirement of the Beyond Bank Australia Constitution is that all except one of the Directors must be non-executives.
In addition to Board duties, Directors serve on Beyond Bank Australia Board committees and Boards of controlled entities.
Role and responsibilities
The role of the Board is to provide:
- Strategic guidance for Beyond Bank Australia; and
- Effective oversight of management
The Board is accountable to the customers of Beyond Bank Australia for the performance of the Beyond Bank Australia Group's businesses. In performing its role, the Board aspires to excellence in governance standards.
Specific responsibilities
The board’s responsibilities and functions include, but are not limited to: strategy, performance monitoring, risk management, governance, compliance and relationships with stakeholders.
Directors’ duties
Beyond Bank directors are bound by duties set out in the Corporations Act.
The duties fall into two broad groups:
- The duties of loyalty and good faith; and
- The duties of care, skill and diligence
Fit and proper requirements
Beyond Bank Australia has implemented a Fit and Proper Policy. It takes all prudent steps to ensure that a person is not appointed to, or in the case of an existing responsible person, does not continue to hold, a responsible-person position if they do not satisfy the requirements of the Fit and Proper Policy.
Other demands
Beyond Bank Australia Directors are also involved in additional activities that include:
- Participation on one or more of the Board committees
- Preparation for and attendance at regular and special Board meetings
- Meeting with APRA representatives if required
- Participation in Board planning activities
- Participating in conferences and educational activities
Committees
Committees are established to assist the Board in the discharge of its duties. These include: Governance and Remuneration, Audit, Risk and Nomination.