Ex-Westpac boss Hartzer joins Australian startup Reejig as chairman

(Reuters) – Australian startup Reejig said on Thursday former Westpac boss Brian Hartzer has joined as chairman, his latest role after a major money-laundering scandal at the lender forced his exit in 2019.

Harzer has since joined fintech Beforepay as chairman and advises several other startups, keeping a lower profile than when he helmed Westpac, Australia’s third-largest lender by market value, between 2015 and 2019.

Westpac had paid a record A$1.3 billion ($968.11 million) fine to settle the lawsuit accusing it of enabling millions of illicit payments, closing off its darkest chapter.

Hartzer takes over as chairman of job skill analysis platform Reejig following a A$6 million Series A funding round in October led by Skip Capital, which is headed by Atlassian (NASDAQ:) co-founder Scott Farquhar and his wife Kim Jackson.

“His experience in leading some of Australia’s largest and most complex organisations will be invaluable,” said Siobhan Savage, chief executive officer and co-founder of Reejig.  

The startup founded in 2019 uses artificial intelligence to gather data and create skill profiles on people. It said Hartzer will work closely with its investors.

($1 = 1.3428 Australian dollars)