Former National Australia Bank chief executive Cameron Clyne has told a Sydney court that a businesswoman accused of defrauding the bank of millions of dollars organised a fundraising dinner at his home.
Clyne, who left the bank in August 2014, said businesswoman Helen Rosamond appeared to be “very friendly” with his then chief of staff, Rosemary Rogers, during his time in the top job, and her event management company Human Group ran conferences and overseas leadership programs for the bank.
Former NAB chief executive Cameron Clyne gave evidence on Wednesday in the District Court trial of Helen Rosamond, who is accused of defrauding the bank of millions.Credit: Nick Moir
Asked if he stayed in contact with Rosamond after he left NAB, Clyne told the Downing Centre District Court he asked her to organise a fundraising dinner at his home “approximately a month after I left”.
“Given I’d known Helen through her relationship with the bank, I asked her to ... organise the catering at that event at my premises, which would be around about September 2014,” Clyne said.
He said he believed he was invoiced directly by Human Group and paid the invoice himself.
“The event was successful; I may have had some contact to thank her,” Clyne said when asked about any further contact he had with Rosamond.
Helen Rosamond leaving the NSW District Court in Sydney last week.Credit: Dean Sewell
Rosamond, 47, is standing trial in the NSW District Court on charges relating to her alleged role in defrauding the NAB of millions. She has pleaded not guilty to 60 counts of giving a corrupt benefit and 32 counts of dishonestly obtaining, or attempting to dishonestly obtain, a financial advantage by deception. The jury has been told the charges total $15 million.
The Crown alleges Rosamond sent falsified and inflated invoices from Human Group to NAB between 2013 and 2017 and paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to Rogers to ensure they were paid.
The court has heard Rogers, who had worked for the bank since 1995, was authorised to approve payments of up to $20 million. Asked if the $20 million figure surprised him, Clyne said it was “consistent with my expectation” in an organisation that “spent billions a year”.
Human Group was involved in most events organised by the CEO’s office, the court heard. The executive leadership programs were run “in a location outside of San Francisco”, Clyne said. Rogers was Rosamond’s primary contact, he said, and he was not involved in contract negotiation with Human Group.
Clyne said Rogers ran his office, including organising meetings, and he spent “about 30 to 40 per cent of an average week” at head office in Melbourne, where Rogers was based. He lived in Sydney.
He relied on Rogers “very closely”, he told the court, because NAB was a “very large organisation spread across a dozen countries”.
Asked by Rosamond’s barrister, Dr Anton Hughes, if he was satisfied with the quality of events organised by Human Group, Clyne said: “From what I could observe, the events were very well organised.”
The court heard Rogers organised Clyne’s diary and, as a general rule, people wishing to see him would need to go through her.
Crown prosecutor Katrina Mackenzie asked if Rosamond enjoyed superior access to him. He agreed Rosamond was able to “approach me if she needed to” when she was in the building because “obviously I knew Helen from the events”.
Rogers has been prosecuted and jailed for her role in the NAB arrangement, the jury has been told, and she is expected to give evidence in the trial.
The court has previously heard allegations Rosamond paid for luxury travel, accommodation, and a vehicle for Rogers, in return for Rogers approving inflated invoices incorrectly attributing Rosamond’s personal expenses to NAB, including $228,747 for an interior designer to furnish her Potts Point home.
The trial continues.
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