Westpac invests in Pacific through rollout of its world-class leadership development program LEAD

Westpac’s LEAD program. Credit: Westpac

LEAD is Westpac Group’s flagship leadership development program focused on building future-ready leaders through experiential learning, coaching and strategic capability uplift.

The LEAD program is designed to build practical leadership capability, equipping participants with the skills, confidence and mindset required to lead teams, support customers and contribute to Westpac’s long-term success in the Pacific. The program will be delivered through in person training sessions supported by online modules ensuring the learning is relevant, grounded in local context and immediately applicable in day-to-day roles.

By delivering the program locally, Westpac is enabling participants to learn alongside peers, strengthen networks across the business and apply leadership learning directly within their teams and communities. The world-class format also supports deeper engagement, discussion and reflection, reinforcing Westpac’s commitment to investing in meaningful, high quality development experiences for its people.

The program covers:

• Leading Self – building self‑awareness, confidence and personal leadership effectiveness
• Leading Others – developing strong people leadership, communication and coaching skills
• Strategic Thinking – strengthening decision‑making and broader business understanding
• Leading Change – equipping leaders to navigate change and lead with agility
• Customer & Outcome Focus – linking leadership behaviors to customer and business outcomes
• Pacific Context Application – applying leadership skills in real‑world PNG and Fiji settings.

Maria Stefanac, Head of People, Pacific, said the LEAD program represents a significant investment in Westpac’s Pacific workforce.

“LEAD is a major investment in our people in Papua New Guinea and Fiji. We know that strong leadership is critical to creating a positive culture, delivering for our customers and building a sustainable business for the future,” Ms. Stefanac said.

“This program has been designed to support our people to grow as leaders, build confidence in leading others and develop skills they can apply immediately in their roles. By having Westpac Group trainers deliver the program here in the Pacific, we’re ensuring our leaders benefit from global expertise while learning in a way that is relevant, practical and grounded in local context.

Ms. Stefanac said the program also reflects Westpac’s broader commitment to developing talent from within and creating clear pathways for growth and progression.

“Investing in leadership capability is an investment in our future. Through LEAD, we are supporting our people to step into leadership roles, strengthen their impact and continue to serve our customers and communities with confidence.”

The LEAD program forms part of Westpac’s ongoing focus on capability building and people development across the Pacific, recognizing that empowered, well supported leaders play a critical role in driving strong performance, engagement and customer outcomes.

By continuing to invest in programs such as LEAD, Westpac is reinforcing its long-term commitment to its people in Papua New Guinea and Fiji and to building leadership capability that supports sustainable growth across the region.