Ahmed Fahour, Managing Director and CEO, Australia Post
Ahmed Fahour officially took up the position as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Australia Post in February 2010. He brings to the role extensive experience as a successful leader and dynamic reformer at corporations in Australia and overseas.
Mr Fahour commenced his professional career at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 1987, consulting on a range of major commercial projects, including mergers, acquisitions, corporate vision and strategy. He became a director of BCG in 1997 and served as a member of BCG's International Partner Group. He also served as Managing Director of iFormation Group, a private equity joint venture of Goldman Sachs, General Atlantic Partners and BCG.
In 2000, Mr Fahour was recruited by the American financial services company, Citigroup. He moved to New York to work as Citigroup's Head of Corporate Development and as a member of the company's Global Management Committee. He also served as Citigroup's CEO for Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Fahour joined the National Australia Bank (NAB) in 2004 as an Executive Director and Australian CEO. One month later, he became a principal Board member of NAB. Mr Fahour focused on building a new brand, culture and service proposition at NAB. Under his leadership, there was a major turnaround in the performance of the bank and its wealth management subsidiary (MLC). During his four years at the helm, the business generated 16 per cent p.a. profit growth; return on equity grew from 18 to 24 per cent; and costs were held flat for three years to produce an industry-leading cost-to-income ratio of 40 per cent.
In early 2009, Mr Fahour left the NAB to take up the role as interim CEO of the Australian Business Investment Partnership. He was subsequently appointed as CEO at Gulf Finance House, based in Bahrain, where he was responsible for developing the bank's strategic direction and overseeing a major capital raising.
Mr Fahour returned to his hometown, Melbourne, to take on the role as Managing Director and CEO of Australia Post in early 2010. Within three months of starting at Australia Post, he announced a major business renewal program, called Future Ready. The transformation program involves the implementation of a more customer-focussed business model that will capitalise on Australia Post's reputation as a trusted services provider.
Mr Fahour is Chairman of the Rip Curl Group; Chairman of the Council for Australian-Arab Relations; and a Director of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australian air Express, Star Track Express, the International Postal Corporation, Kahala Post Group and Sai Cheng Logistics. He is also a Business Ambassador for Melbourne's northern suburbs; a former Director of Nasdaq Dubai; a former Member of the Prime Minister's Social Inclusion Board; and a former Trustee of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He holds a Bachelor of Economics from La Trobe University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Melbourne. He won a number of prizes during both degrees.
He is married with four children and has an active interest in sports (including the Carlton Football Club) and working on developing social cohesion in Australia.