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Westpac New Zealand chief executive Brad Cooper has been selected to lead his Australian parent bank's merger with smaller rival St George Bank after little more than a year in the top local job.
Former GE Money Britain and Ireland chief executive, Cooper took over at Westpac NZ from Ann Sherry in April last year.
Westpac banking Group chief executive Gail Kelly said Cooper had, in a short time "turned Westpac New Zealand's performance around following an intensive programme to increase customer satisfaction levels, including improving the effectiveness of Westpac New Zealand's distribution and back office operations".
With his experience leading "major integration programmes" Kelly said Cooper was the ideal choice to lead the merger.
Westpac's A$16 billion ($19 billion) merger with St George is the largest takeover in Australian banking history. Bruce McLachlan, Westpac NZ's consumer banking general manager will become the bank's acting chief executive until a permanent successor to Cooper is appointed.