Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation appoints Executive Officer

12 May 2020

The goal of making the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation one of Australia’s premier philanthropic forces has come a step closer with the appointment of experienced not-for-profit leader Mr Paul Olds as its inaugural Executive Officer.

Heritage Bank launched the Charitable Foundation with a $2 million seeding grant in 2018 and since then the focus has been on ticking off all legal and regulatory requirements to make it operational.

With those logistics in place, the next step was to find an Executive Officer to take the Foundation forward.

Foundation Chair Mr Bill Armagnacq said the Board was delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Olds, who was most recently the CEO of Queensland-based charitable organisation the MND and Me Foundation, which supports people with Motor Neurone Disease. 

Mr Olds also previously ran a business consultancy practice with not-for-profit clientele, and was the CEO of a legal firm.

He has taken up the new role with the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation this week.

“Paul brings not only extensive experience in both the commercial and not-for-profit sector but, importantly a passion for philanthropy,” Mr Armagnacq said.

“As our inaugural Executive Officer, Paul will be responsible for developing the Foundation’s strategies, establishing relationships with key stakeholders, guiding our fundraising efforts and setting up the Foundation to make a really important contribution to those in need in our society.

“We’re thrilled that he has taken up the role.”

Mr Olds said he was drawn to the role with the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation because it offered the chance to help an even wider range of people in the community.

“I wanted to stay in the community space, and I saw this role as an excellent opportunity to get in at the start and help establish something that would leave a fantastic legacy for the community and for Heritage Bank going forward,” Mr Olds said.

“Heritage has a great track record, a great culture, and a great history of helping people. 

“I look forward to engaging with the wider community and bringing people together to accomplish something special.”
Heritage Bank Chairman Mr Kerry Betros said the goal in establishing the Charitable Foundation was to build it up into a major contributor to the nation’s philanthropic community.

“Heritage Bank has always been focused on giving back to the community, and we wanted to magnify that goal by setting up the Charitable Foundation as a way to make really significant contributions to people in need.

“Appointing an Executive Officer to drive that vision forward is an extremely important step in the Foundation’s growth. 

“This is a major milestone for the Foundation and for Heritage.

“Importantly, Heritage continues to support the Foundation by meeting the administrative and support costs needed to run it, meaning all funds the Foundation raises are available to go to the causes it chooses to support.”

The Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people in need throughout our community. The Foundation will do so by giving grants to eligible not-for-profit organisations that provide:

• Positive educational and alternative pathways to help at-risk children and teenagers;
• Health care services for vulnerable Australians and their families; and
• Support for the economic and social wellbeing of people in regional, rural and remote communities, including in times of natural disasters. Grants are targeted at making a positive difference to the lives of individuals and their families. 

Donations to the Heritage Bank Charitable Foundation are fully tax deductible and can be made at heritagecharitablefoundation.org.au/donate.