Barclays Capital names Cynthia Whelan as new Australia chief executive

Barclays Capital yesterday named Cynthia Whelan as chief executive for Australia and New Zealand as it continues to build its Australian investment banking capability.

Whelan has also been appointed to Barclays Capital’s Asia-Pacific executive committee and will maintain her current role as head of investment banking Australia/New Zealand – a role she has held since 2009, when Barclays announced its intention to compete with Australia’s leading investment banking franchises: UBS, Macquarie and Goldman Sachs.

With Australia’s resources boom in full flow, Whelan will be responsible for driving the continued growth of the bank’s business there. Based in Sydney, she will report to Robert Morrice, Barclays’ chairman and chief executive, Asia-Pacific.

Before returning to Sydney, where she had previously headed debt capital markets, Whelan worked in Hong Kong, heading DCM coverage for sovereign, FIG, corporate, high-yield and securitisation clients.

 “Asia contains the fastest growing economies in the world,” said Morrice. “Developing and building our business across this diverse region is therefore fundamental to the global growth plans of the firm. Cynthia’s leadership has been integral to the success of our Australian business and will be vital to our continued success in the region. I am delighted that Cynthia will be taking on this role.”