Agribusiness exec to replace economics professor on committee that sets OCR

Thursday, 18 September 2025

Hayley Gourley’s experience includes expertise in rural banking, in her past role at Rabobank.

Agribusiness executive Hayley Gourley, a former general manager of country banking at Rabobank, will join the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee at the start of next month to replace Victoria University Emeritus Professor Bob Buckle, who is retiring.

The committee usually has seven members, the bank’s governor, two deputy governors, and its chief economist, and three external members who are not employees of the bank.

Gourley’s academic qualifications include a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Imperial College, London, and a Bachelor of Applied Economics from Massey University.

Reserve Bank deputy chair Rodger Finlay said Gourley had knowledge, skills and experience from an extensive career in the corporate, rural and financial services sectors.

The monetary policy committee meets about every seven weeks to issue monetary policy statements and review the official cash rate.

There remains one vacancy on the committee as the Government yet to confirm whether it will appoint acting governor Christian Hawkesby to a five-year term as governor or recruit externally.

Former Reserve Bank chairperson Neil Quigley made clear he believed the Reserve Bank board had already identified the person who would be appointed governor by the time he resigned from the bank on August 29 but Finance Minister Nicola Willis has yet to announce who she will appoint as governor for the next five-year term.