John Yardley appointed new CEO of Coastline Bank

John Yardley has been named as the new CEO of Coastline Bank, building on almost three decades of outstanding leadership by Peter Townsend. Peter is to step down after Coastline’s Annual General Meeting in November.

Coastline Bank, a leading community bank based on the Mid North Coast of NSW, today announced that John Yardley has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer, to take effect from 3^rd November 2025. John will succeed Peter Townsend, who will step down at the Annual General Meeting after over 29 years of distinguished service to Coastline.

Peter joined Coastline in 1996 and has led the Bank through a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Under his guidance Coastline has grown to be a leading financial services provider in the Mid North Coast region.

"Peter has been an exceptional leader who has built Coastline into the organisation it is today," said Vanessa McNeilly, Chair of the Board of Directors. "Throughout his tenure, Peter has demonstrated unwavering commitment to our values, our people, and our customers. We are deeply grateful for his contributions and the strong foundation he leaves for our future. It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to have worked with him."

John Yardley brings over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry to the role. John most recently served as Deputy CEO at Bank Australia, where he achieved outstanding customer growth and led teams with community-focused values. He holds a Master of Business Administration and is also a Director of Community Housing Australia. John and his family will be relocating to the region in the coming months.

"I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Coastline Bank into its next chapter," said John Yardley. "Peter has built an incredible legacy, and I look forward to working with the talented Coastline team to build upon that foundation and drive continued growth and innovation."

The leadership transition comes at a time of strong growth and profitability for Coastline. They are sector performance leaders and are well-positioned for continued success under new leadership.

"It’s been an honour to lead Coastline for the past 29 years and provide our members with outstanding customer centric service," said Peter Townsend. "I am confident that John is the right leader to guide Coastline forward, and I look forward to watching Coastline continue to thrive and make a positive impact for our members and the Mid North Coast Community."

The Board of Directors conducted a comprehensive search process with the assistance of Amrop Carmichael Fisher to identify the new CEO.

About Coastline Bank

Coastline Bank began in 1966, when 54 council employees formed the Macleay River County Council Employees Credit Union. Today, they are known as Coastline Bank and have more than 23,000 customers and nearly $1 bn under management. Through their Community Foundation, they have donated over $2.5 million to local community groups and causes.

Coastline Bank is a customer-owned financial organisation. Their profits are retained for the benefit of their customers and the local community. They provide their customers with home loans, personal loans, business and commercial loans, credit cards, insurance, savings and budgeting.

Media Contact

Kathryn Reynolds
Team Leader ‑ Marketing
Coastline Bank

P: 02 6562 0101 | M: 0438 082 905
E: kathryn.reynolds@coastline.com.au
A: 64 Elbow Street, West Kempsey, NSW, 2440