BUSINESSDESK: Bank of New Zealand, the lender owned by National Australia Bank, says chief financial officer Ken Christie will return to Australia at the end of the year to take up a job with the parent.

Mr Christie was seconded to BNZ from NAB in 2007 for the role.

His new post at the Australian bank hasn’t yet been confirmed and a replacement CFO for BNZ has yet to be decided.

BNZ chief executive heaped praise on him, saying the bank’s strong financial position “is due in a large part to Mr Christie’s vision, guidance and leadership”.

Mr Christie joined BNZ in 2007. Before that role he was chief risk officer for nabCapital, managing a team of risk professionals in Australia, New Zealand, UK and the USA.

His career has been international, having worked in banking, finance and consulting posts at a number of global financial institutions in Europe, Asia, the US and Australia.