World Vision Appoints Digital Leader as First Female CEO

One of the Australian finance sector’s leaders of digital transformation, Claire Rogers, will succeed long-serving CEO Tim Costello as chief executive of the country’s largest international development and humanitarian relief agency.

Rogers is currently head of Digital Banking Australia at ANZ. She will take up the role of CEO of World Vision Australia in November this year when Tim Costello will commence the new executive role of chief advocate for World Vision Australia, which was announced in May this year.

Chairman of World Vision Australia George Savvides said the board had deliberately sought out a modern, experienced digital change agent with a strong social commitment and proven track record to lead the growth in World Vision’s engagement with the next generation of its Australian supporters.

“Like all Not for Profits, World Vision is operating in a rapidly-changing, increasingly complex environment,” Savvides said.

“Claire Rogers is a gifted and capable leader who has demonstrated in large corporate settings as well as NFP roles the ability to lead organisational transformation that enables a deeper engagement with customers. She is extremely well equipped to ensure that World Vision can build on its existing strengths, to grow and adapt in this new environment.”

Savvides said the board had worked hard over the past 18 months to develop a succession plan, including hiring an international recruitment firm to identify suitably-qualified candidates to replace Costello who has served as chief executive at World Vision Australia for the past 13 years.

Rogers, who is known for her leadership in growing customer-facing businesses across both physical and digital channels, said she was excited to be joining World Vision at a time when the organisation is clearly committed to transforming itself in the digital age.

“As businesses are seeing in their customer base, Not for Profits are facing substantial and ongoing changes in how donors and supporters want us to work with them and we need to be thinking about how we can meet this challenge in agile and creative ways,” Rogers said.

Rogers said she was looking forward to working closely with Costello.

“I am delighted that I will be able to draw on such a capable and strong advocate as Tim, who will continue to make a vital contribution as a member of World Vision’s executive leadership team.”

Chair of Ridley Theological College for the past eight years, Rogers said she has been a financial supporter of World Vision for the past decade and had long had a passion for equal opportunity for all.

“So many of the world’s most vulnerable are women and their children, I am really energised by the opportunity to change that equation as World Vision CEO,” she said.

ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott also congratulated Rogers on her appointment at World Vision Australia.

“We at ANZ are very proud of the partnership we have enjoyed with World Vision for over a decade so it is very pleasing that one of ANZ’s experienced leaders will be taking up the helm there,” Elliott said.