The Impacts of the Global Financial Crisis ("GFC") Continue to Present an Interesting Challenge for Company Secretaries to Navigate.

Suzanna Dabski, , Westpac Banking Corporation, Australia

The impacts of the Global Financial Crisis (“GFC”) continue to present an interesting challenge for company secretaries to navigate. In the wake of the GFC, an ever-changing and uncertain corporate governance landscape has evolved, resulting in the continuing rise in prominence of the role of a company secretary and an increasing focus by boards on organisational corporate governance practices. This paper will explore how the current climate presents an opportunity for company secretaries to showcase the value that company secretarial teams can bring to organisations through corporate governance thought-leadership and the adoption of innovative approaches to company secretarial practice.

Westpac is Australia's oldest Bank. Westpac has branches and affiliates throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region and maintains offices in key financial centres around the world including London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. As at 31 March 2008 the Westpac Group employed approximately 29,000 people in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. As at 31 March 2008, Westpac Banking Corporation had global assets of $402 billion. Westpac is ranked in the top 10 listed companies by market capitalisation on the Australian Securities Exchange Limited (ASX).