$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First episode artwork

EPISODE · May 31, 2026 · 44 MIN

$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First

from Fintech Chatter: Conversations with Fintech CEOs and Founders · host Dexter Cousins | Executive Search For Fintech

Looking to upscale your fintech leadership team? Start at tieronepeople.comMichelle Bagnall is the CEO of BankFirst, a mutual bank with 92,000 members and $4.7 billion in assets that exists to serve nurses and teachers in Australia. In this episode she tells Dexter the origin story of a bank that started with $480 in a shoebox, explains why nobody at BankFirst gets paid a bonus, and makes the case that mutuals were the original fintech startups.00:00 Introduction 03:08 The Origins of Bank First and Peer-to-Peer Lending05:30 Understanding Mutual Banks and Their Model10:54 Competing with Big Banks and Neo Banks14:24 Leadership and Culture at Bank First21:15 Finding Passion and Purpose in Banking31:04 Bank First's Role in Supporting Members During Economic Challenges36:00 The Complexity of Financial Solutions and Collaboration40:47 Opportunities at Bank FirstLinksMichelle Bagnall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-bagnall/BankFirst: https://www.bankfirst.com.auTier One People: https://www.tieronepeople.comDexter Cousins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/Send us Fan MailConnect on with Dexter Cousins on LinkedinHire Exceptional Fintech TalentSubscribe on LinkedIn

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Looking to upscale your fintech leadership team? Start at tieronepeople.com Michelle Bagnall is the CEO of BankFirst, a mutual bank with 92,000 members and $4.7 billion in assets that exists to serve nurses and teachers in Australia. In this episode she tells Dexter the origin story of a bank that started with $480 in a shoebox, explains why nobody at BankFirst gets paid a bonus, and makes the case that mutuals were the original fintech startups. 00:00 Introduction 03:08 The Origins o...

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$480 - $4.7bn Australia's OG Peer to Peer Lender: Michelle Bagnall - Bank First

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