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ING Australia’s national manager for SME lending, Ray Esho, will depart from the bank next week after 18 years of service.
Long-serving ING Australia (ING) veteran Esho is set to leave the lender next Tuesday (22 April) to take on a new (undisclosed) position in industry later this month.
Esho, who has worked at ING since 2007, has held a range of senior leadership roles at the bank and is currently serving as the national manager, SME lending.
Over his 18-year career at ING, Esho has worked closely with the broker channel and was the national manager for broker distribution for over 11 years.
He previously worked as the state manager for NSW and was the head of mortgage products between 2007 and 2012.
Prior to joining ING, Esho had been a principal at mortgage brokerage Mortgage Choice.
Speaking of his departure from ING Australia, Esho told The Adviser that he valued and cherished his time at the bank but was “ready for a new challenge”.
Reflecting on his time at ING Australia, he said: “I started at ING with the intention of being on a four-week contract, and this quickly morphed into a full-time position as I came to realise how much I enjoyed the collaborative culture at ING.
“The fact that I could continue working in a great space like the broker channel was the icing on the cake.”
Esho said that, during his time at ING, the bank had become “one of the dominant non-majors and a genuine challenger to many lenders in the Australian mortgage market” and that the two things he’d remember most fondly about the bank were its “people and the proposition”.
He said: “On the people front, having been part of the broker sales leadership team at ING for over a decade, it makes me very proud when I hear brokers speak so highly of ING sales teams. We’ve collectively built a culture which has focused on collaboration and care, while also driving team performance.
“I’ve worked with some great people over the years and most recently have particularly enjoyed working with our new head of business banking, Hein Wegdam [who started in July 2024]. Hein has brought a lot of global insights, as well as a great energy to the Australian business. He’s been a great addition to the executive team and has already started to make a big impact on the performance of the bank.
“In terms of proposition, I’ve been fortunate to have been involved in the shaping of the ING home loan proposition over the years.
“Being able to influence the design of many product, policy, and process enhancements in direct response to broker feedback has been very rewarding.
“This will continue at ING as it supports brokers as the dominant channel in the Australian mortgage market.
“With a clear mandate to continue this strong growth trajectory, powered by significant investments in technology to simplify the process for brokers and customers, the future looks bright.”
Touching on his decision to start in a new position in the broker channel, Esho said: “Now, after nearly 18 years, I’ve realised it’s time to challenge myself and position myself into a new environment, while also remaining in the broker space, a channel in which I have enormous confidence going forward.”
Lorence Crema to fill position in acting capacity
ING Australia has confirmed that Lorence Crema – the state sales manager for commercial in Queensland and the Northern Territory – will fill the position of national manager, SME lending, while the search for a successor is undertaken.
Hein Wegdam, ING Australia’s head of business banking and executive committee member, said: “We’re sorry to see Ray go but, over his long tenure, he has nurtured and empowered a team that will continue his legacy of offering an exceptional experience for our broker network.
“Our long-serving team member, Lorence Crema will temporarily step up into Ray’s role to ensure it’s business as usual for brokers serving SME customers, while we recruit for a new head of SME lending.
“We wish Ray all the very best in his next role.”
ING has seen several senior leader changes in the past year, having recently announced that it will bring in a new head of retail banking on 1 May.
It also welcomed a new head of mortgages and appointed a new national sales manager for retail broker last year, and expanded out its broker support team.
[Related: ING appoints new head of retail]
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