Sydney, 17 March 2026 - Nina Schindler, CEO of the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB), joined leaders of Australia’s customer-owned banking sector at the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) CEO and Director Forum 2026 in Sydney, Australia.
The annual forum brings together more than 100 CEOs and Directors from Australia’s mutual banks and credit unions, providing a platform for senior leaders of the customer-owned banking sector to exchange perspectives on key trends shaping the future of the industry.
During the event, Nina Schindler joined Mike Lawrence, CEO of COBA, for a fireside chat titled “Lessons from the world where you live: What European cooperative banking can teach us.” The discussion highlighted the resilience and financial soundness of the cooperative banking model, as demonstrated by its strong performance across economic cycles. It also explored how European cooperative banks are adapting to a rapidly changing environment marked by digital transformation, evolving regulatory expectations and geopolitical uncertainty, while remaining anchored in the principles of member ownership and long-term engagement with local communities.
Nina Schindler, CEO of the EACB, said: “Cooperative and mutual banks around the world share the same core mission: serving their members and supporting local communities. The European experience shows that the cooperative banking model can remain strong while adapting to major transformations, and exchanges such as this one help strengthen the resilience of customer-owned banking globally.”
The EACB was pleased to contribute to this important international dialogue with leaders from Australia’s customer-owned banking sector and to further strengthen ties with the Australian cooperative and mutual banking community.