QinetiQ Group plc is pleased to announce the appointment of two independent Non-Executive Directors to its Board.
Ross McEwan CBE will join the QinetiQ Board on 1 March 2024. Ross has been Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) since December 2019 and, as recently announced, will retire from NAB on 1 July 2024.
Dina Knight will join the QinetiQ Board on 1 March 2024. Dina is Chief People Officer of global technology services and solutions provider Datatec Group and Logicalis International, accountable for its people operations and strategy.
Upon appointment, Ross and Dina will become members of the Audit, Nominations, Remuneration and Risk & Security Committees.
Neil Johnson, Chair of QinetiQ, said:
“I am delighted to be able to announce these two significant appointments, both of which will further strengthen the breadth and depth of skills we have on the Board. Their experience will be invaluable as QinetiQ continues to successfully deliver its strategy while remaining focused on serving the national security interests of our customers in the UK, US and Australia.
“Ross brings extensive global business experience at the highest level and his successful track record is recognised in both the UK, where as CEO he transformed RBS/NatWest, and in Australia where since late 2019 he has been CEO of NAB. His intimate knowledge and understanding of the Australian market will be particularly advantageous.
“Equally, I am delighted that Dina will be joining the Board, to eventually succeed Susan Searle. Dina is a seasoned HR professional but will also bring a broad spectrum of corporate strategic experience to the role. I’m grateful to Susan for agreeing to remain as Chair of QinetiQ’s Remuneration Committee, in order to provide an extended handover to Dina before standing down.”
Prior to joining the QinetiQ Board, Ross has been Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) since December 2019. He joined NAB from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) where he served as RBS Group CEO from 2013 to 2019 and CEO UK Retail from 2012 to 2013. Prior to these appointments, Ross held the positions of Group Executive for Retail Banking Services and Executive General Manager at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), during which time he was responsible for its branch network, contact centres and third-party mortgage brokers.
Ross holds a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University, New Zealand and has more than 30 years’ experience in the finance, insurance and investment industries. Prior to his position at CBA, Ross was Managing Director of First NZ Capital Securities and Chief Executive Officer of National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited/AXA New Zealand Limited. Ross is also Chair of the Australian Banking Association.
Dina is Chief People Officer of Datatec Group and its Logicalis International division. Datatec is an international IT solutions and services company, listed on the Johannesburg Stock exchange with revenues of over $5billion and over 11,000 employees. Logicalis is one Datatec’s three business divisions, and is itself a global corporation with over 4,000 employees. Dina is accountable for people operations strategy from Board level down. Prior to Logicalis, she held the role of Global HR Director at Truphone, responsible for driving a collaborative and innovation-centred culture within an environment of rapid change from 2017 to 2022. Dina has also had positions as Group HR Director for Teledyne e2v and Group HR Director/HR Director for Northgate Information Solutions from 2007 to 2010.
Dina read Business Studies and gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management from Teesside University, and has thirty years of HR experience across private and PLC business environments. She is highly experienced in working across international workforces and building strong teams to deliver change and drive results, whilst ensuring that workforce and business well-being remain a top priority.
