Full Name
The Hon Mike Baird
Job Title
Chief Executive Officer
Company
Susan McKinnon Foundation
Speaker Bio
Mike Baird is the CEO of McKinnon, working to improve Australia’s public administration, supporting effective political leadership, and strengthening the nation’s democratic institutions.
Prior to commencing at the Susan McKinnon Foundation, Mike was CEO of HammondCare, (2020 to 2024) during a critical period in aged care. He helped guide the sector toward financial sustainability and growth after challenges like COVID-19, the Royal Commission, and workforce shortages. His leadership resulted in key achievements, including improved funding, higher wages, greater transparency, and innovation, contributing to a significant shift in how society values and supports older individuals in aged care.
Mike was a member of the National Australia Bank executive leadership team from 2017 to 2020 as Chief Customer Officer – Corporate and Institutional Banking (2017-2018) and Chief Customer Officer – Consumer Banking (2018 – 2020). In these roles, Mike led NAB’s global institutional business, the retail banking business, including more than 700 branches, 7000 bankers, broker partnerships, direct banking, and the digital bank, UBank.
Prior to this, Mike was the 44th Premier of New South Wales, representing the electoral district of Manly in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Mike entered NSW state politics in 2007. He held several shadow ministries before serving as Treasurer from 2011 to 2014, and then as Premier from 2014 to January 2017, when he retired from politics.
During his time as both NSW Premier and Treasurer, the State recorded the fastest economic growth rate in the country, the lowest jobless rate, undertook the largest infrastructure program in the State’s history, delivered record level building approvals, and the budget went into surplus whilst retaining its AAA credit rating.
In 1989, Mike started his career as a NAB graduate in Sydney. He went on to hold senior roles in NAB’s Corporate and Institutional Banking team in Australia and London, including Global Relationship Manager and Head of Debt Capital Market Originations based in London.
He was a Senior Corporate Finance Manager at Deutsche Bank and Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at HSBC in Australia and New Zealand.
Mike is passionate about family, sport and looking after community’s most vulnerable. He is Chair of Cricket Australia and sits on the Board of Future Generation Australia. He is also an ambassador for Bear Cottage and Southern Youth Family Services.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Sydney and a DipCS Regent College Vancouver, Canada. He has also completed executive management courses at Harvard and Duke University.
Prior to commencing at the Susan McKinnon Foundation, Mike was CEO of HammondCare, (2020 to 2024) during a critical period in aged care. He helped guide the sector toward financial sustainability and growth after challenges like COVID-19, the Royal Commission, and workforce shortages. His leadership resulted in key achievements, including improved funding, higher wages, greater transparency, and innovation, contributing to a significant shift in how society values and supports older individuals in aged care.
Mike was a member of the National Australia Bank executive leadership team from 2017 to 2020 as Chief Customer Officer – Corporate and Institutional Banking (2017-2018) and Chief Customer Officer – Consumer Banking (2018 – 2020). In these roles, Mike led NAB’s global institutional business, the retail banking business, including more than 700 branches, 7000 bankers, broker partnerships, direct banking, and the digital bank, UBank.
Prior to this, Mike was the 44th Premier of New South Wales, representing the electoral district of Manly in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Mike entered NSW state politics in 2007. He held several shadow ministries before serving as Treasurer from 2011 to 2014, and then as Premier from 2014 to January 2017, when he retired from politics.
During his time as both NSW Premier and Treasurer, the State recorded the fastest economic growth rate in the country, the lowest jobless rate, undertook the largest infrastructure program in the State’s history, delivered record level building approvals, and the budget went into surplus whilst retaining its AAA credit rating.
In 1989, Mike started his career as a NAB graduate in Sydney. He went on to hold senior roles in NAB’s Corporate and Institutional Banking team in Australia and London, including Global Relationship Manager and Head of Debt Capital Market Originations based in London.
He was a Senior Corporate Finance Manager at Deutsche Bank and Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at HSBC in Australia and New Zealand.
Mike is passionate about family, sport and looking after community’s most vulnerable. He is Chair of Cricket Australia and sits on the Board of Future Generation Australia. He is also an ambassador for Bear Cottage and Southern Youth Family Services.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Sydney and a DipCS Regent College Vancouver, Canada. He has also completed executive management courses at Harvard and Duke University.
