NAB Hires Mahya Knox from CBA as Talent War Heats Up
Australian Financial Review
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Details
- Date Published
- 20 Jan 2026
- Priority Score
- 2
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 20 Jan 2026, 03:45 pm
Description
Banks spent much of 2025 jostling for top talent, and the trend shows no signs of easing with another AI expert leaving Commonwealth Bank for one of its rivals.
Summary
The National Australia Bank (NAB) has recruited Mahya Knox from the Commonwealth Bank to become its new Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. This move is part of a broader trend of fierce competition among banks in 2025 to attract top AI talent. Knox's role will focus on enhancing NAB's capabilities in digital, data, and AI, indicating the growing strategic importance of AI in the banking sector. While this transition highlights the competition for AI expertise, it does not directly tackle issues related to existential or catastrophic AI risks. Nevertheless, the hiring trends underscore the increasing role of AI in financial services, which could have broader implications for financial stability and safety measures.
Body
CompaniesFinancial ServicesBig fourPrint articleAngira BharadwajBanking and financial services reporterJan 20, 2026 – 5.29pmNational Australia Bank has poached Commonwealth Bank’s Mahya Knox to become its new chief artificial intelligence officer, the latest tech talent to depart CBA for its rivals.Knox will work in NAB’s digital, data and AI leadership team in a new role the lender has created to bolster its use of artificial intelligence. She will report to the team’s group executive Pete Steel.Loading...Angira Bharadwaj is a banking and financial services reporter for The Australian Financial Review. Email Angira at angira.bharadwaj@nine.com.auSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleFollow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.Find out moreRead MoreBig fourNational Australia BankCommonwealth BankWestpac Banking CorporationFetching latest articles