During 2014, Queensland Police Credit Union will commemorate its 50-year anniversary, acknowledging the support it has provided to the men and women who protect and serve the communities of Queensland. From police officers to emergency services personnel, firefighters, ambulance officers, and public sector employees, QPCU helps its members manage their banking needs.
Grant Devine, CEO of QPCU, sat down with The CEO Magazine to discuss the transformation of the company, the technological changes driving its industry, and the vision behind QPCU.
I have been in banking and finance for 32 years. I suspect Ive probably got a slightly different background to most CEOs, having literally worked my way from the ground up. I also studied later in life, which I believe is a great way to learn as you can immediately apply the theory to your working life.
I started my career from the ground floor of ANZ as a mail clerk. From there, I worked through frontline areas as a teller, doing securities, and then in various areas of retail banking. The consistent theme was that I was always working directly with customers.
In the early 1990s, I moved to NatWest Bank, working in credit and chattel finance before moving on to Citibank in sales and marketing roles. These experiences gave me incredible insight into the customer experience. I came to the customer-owned banking sector about 10 years ago, working for the now QT Mutual Bank. The opportunity then came up with QPCU, and I became CEO in April 2008 just before the GFC hit.