Priscilla Sims Brown, a former journalist, stockbroker and startup CEO, will be the new head of marketing at the Commonwealth Bank.
The appointment of the American is the latest response at rebuilding trust following revelations of misconduct at the financial services royal commission.
CEO Matt Comyn decided to split the role of group general counsel and group executive group corporate affairs on the retirement of Anna Lenahan.
“In addition to a group general counsel and governance, we are creating the new role of group executive marketing and corporate affairs to allow for greater focus on how we engage with our customers, stakeholders, and the broader community,” Comyn says. “Both roles will report directly to me.”
Priscilla Sims Brown starts as group executive marketing and corporate affairs from August.
The banks have reigned in advertsing spend since the royal commission last year. Ad spend by banks spending was down 39% or $12 million in May, according to preliminary SMI numbers.
Priscilla Sims Brown is currently CEO of Emerge.me, a US start-up digital healthcare platform she joined in 2017.
Before that she was senior vice president and chief marketing officer at AXA Financial in the US, where she had responsibility for transforming the customer experience, as well as leading global digital marketing initiatives.
She has also held executive leadership roles at AmeriHealth Caritas, Sun Life Financial US, and Lincoln National Corporation
Comyn said: “Priscilla’s appointment will help us continue the changes and improvements we need to make to earn the trust of our customers and the community and build a better bank for the future. I look forward to welcoming her to my executive team.”
Priscilla Sims Brown began her career as a TV journalist and then worked as a stockbroker.
She then joined the Equitable Life Assurance Society before moving into investment management with Lincoln National Corporation.
She is also a director of her family’s not-for-profit organisation, Project Mercy, which supports development projects in Ethiopia, and is a director of the Eagles Charities.
She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, was named one of Corporate America’s top 100 black leaders in 2016 by Savoy Magazine, and has won several awards for her work including the CMO Content Engagement Award in 2017.
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