Empowering Conversations

In a recent episode of the “Banking and Finance Latest Shaping the Industry Podcast,” hosted by Stephanie Girard, CEO of Women in Banking and Finance, Angela McMillan, Group Customer Advocate at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, was celebrated for her outstanding achievements in the banking and finance industry.

As the recent recipient of the WiBF 2023 Achievement in Operations, Technology or Customer Support Award, the podcast began with a quote about Angela’s nomination, stating, “This nominee made an impression on the judges and was highly commended for her work as a customer advocate, and particularly her work with the First Nations. Angela’s dedication to advocacy for underrepresented groups and her efforts to eliminate gender disparities were highlighted, emphasising her involvement in workshops, speeches, and panel discussions.”

Rejoicing Angela’s recent win at the 2023 National Industry Awards, Stephanie expressed her congratulations, before shifting to Angela herself, to discuss her career journey and the significant highlights along the way.

Making a difference

“I feel like the banking and finance industry kind of chose me. One of the relationships that I built was with Commonwealth Bank, they had a couple of job openings in their dispute resolution space, and it was a bit of a leap for me, I hadn’t been in the private sector before. But I felt as though I could still make a difference,” said Angela.

Angela reflected on her unconventional journey into the banking and finance industry, mentioning her background in government, aviation security, and human rights. Sharing that she didn’t do maths or science in Years 11 or 12, she had doubts she would be suitable for the industry and further went on to say, “I had a bit of impostor syndrome and going into banking, I thought, ‘now what’s the bank going to do with someone who is good at writing stories or reading or speaking French’ or whatever it might have been that I did at school. I’m very much into the humanities. But what I found was that very quickly when I joined the bank, there was such a raft of different roles within the organisation that I hadn’t realised a bank would do and would invest in. And so, since that time, I’ve continued to be very much involved in the human side of banking.”

Life changing experiences

Stephanie Girard explored Angela’s involvement in community services, including her roles on the boards of One Door Mental Health (NSW) and Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (NT). Angela spoke passionately about her commitment to supporting First Nations communities and the unique perspective gained during time she spent in Arnhem Land.

Reflecting on her first visit to Arnhem Land, Angela remarked, “It was one of those life experiences that I would never, ever take back. It was phenomenal. And it really did help shape my career, as it’s given me such a unique perspective into people who are not like myself, people who have an incredibly important role to play in Australian society, and need a voice within the metropolitan areas, in particularly in banks.”

Finding her voice

The podcast delved into Angela’s experiences during challenging times, such as being the first female Town Administrator of Nhulunbuy, a small town in Arnhem Land and navigating the aftermath of the Royal Commission into financial services in Australia. “I was there for a reason, I had skills, I had experience, I had expertise that was valuable, so that really helped me find my voice,” she said.

In addressing challenges for individuals starting in the banking and finance industry, Angela encouraged a mindset of exploration, learning, and resilience.