The main function of our board is to ensure the independence of the Banking Ombudsman and to make sure that we are well-run and effective.
Miriam Dean CNZM KC
Chair - appointed June 2013
Miriam was the first female partner of law firm Russell McVeagh and the first female President of the New Zealand Bar Association. She has been involved in a number of government inquiries including chairing the Ministerial Inquiry into the Fonterra botulinum incident and leading the review of ACC’s dispute resolution processes. She was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2004 and a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2011 for services to law and business.
Miriam has extensive governance experience. Current governance roles include director of Crown Infrastructure Partners, Otakaro Ltd and the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ).
Jon Duffy
Appointed September 2020
Jon is the Chief Executive of Consumer NZ. Jon has had a long career in the consumer protection field including roles as a Senior Investigator at the Commerce Commission, Head of Trust & Safety at Trade Me and Assistant Privacy Commissioner.
Jon is currently Deputy Chair of Netsafe and was previously Chair of the Consumer NZ Board.
Jon is a big fan of people getting a fair deal, whether it’s making sure marketing is straight up, how our data is being collected and used or looking at the impact what we buy has on our environment.
Jon speaks regularly on consumer issues and is increasingly interested in the convergence between privacy and consumer protection as well as how the high concentration of certain markets such as supermarkets and air travel in New Zealand affect consumers.
Hon Heather Roy
Appointed April 2025
Heather is a professional director with extensive governance experience. She is Independent Chair of the Security and Reliability Council (a technical advisory council to the Electricity Authority), director of Port Marlborough and director of Robinsons Construction Group Ltd. She is also co-owner/principal of boutique consulting company, TorquePoint Ltd, specialising in disruptive strategy and simulations.
Previous governance roles include Independent Chair of Utilities Disputes Ltd and Independent Chair of the Advertising Standards Authority.
Heather was a Member of Parliament from 2002 – 2011, including serving as Minister of Consumer Affairs from 2008-2010. She also served as a Reservist in the NZ Army for ten years.
Prof Jodi Gardner
Appointed April 2025
Professor Jodi Gardner is the Brian Coote Chair in Private Law at the University of Auckland. She has considerable experience in consumer research and advocacy in Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Jodi's research focuses on the intersection between private law and social policy, with an emphasis on consumer protection and banking and financial services. She has published widely in these areas and has advised government bodies on law reform projects across many jurisdictions.
In addition to her role with the Banking Ombudsman Service, Jodi is a member of the Electricity Authority Advisory Group, Principal Legal AI Advisor at Thomson Reuters and a member of the Responsible Lending Code Advisory Group.
Catherine McGrath
Appointed April 2025
Catherine McGrath is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Westpac New Zealand Limited.
Catherine was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Director of Westpac New Zealand in November 2021. She has more than 25 years’ experience working in financial services and prior to joining Westpac, Catherine led large-scale transformations at some of the world’s best known banks including Barclays Group and Lloyds TSB in the UK. Earlier in her career she worked at BNZ, ASB and the Prudential Group. Catherine was raised in New Zealand. She graduated from Canterbury University with a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Commerce.
Steve Jurkovich
Appointed April 2024
Steve joined Kiwibank in July 2018 as Chief Executive.
Steve graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Law and completed his MBA at the University of Sydney. With over 20 years of banking experience in Australia and New Zealand, Steve’s career to date has included senior and executive leadership positions with accountabilities across Retail, Corporate, Commercial and Rural Banking and Legal with New Zealand’s largest banks.
Steve is passionate about business and business leaders delivering performance through a purpose led approach and having some fun doing it.
Steve is also a founding trustee of the "Tania Dalton Foundation" whose purpose is to help young women achieve their epic potential.