There are not many organisations that could take you from the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island to the top of Park Avenue, New York City. But that’s the experience of Matthew Mason, ANZ Associate Director, Transaction Banking, and 2026 Sibos STAR scholarship recipient.
“When I joined ANZ a decade ago, I never imagined the range of opportunities it would open up.” he told bluenotes from the financial capital of the world. “I'm incredibly grateful for the support ANZ has given me throughout my career”.
Originally from Invercargill, Mason started at ANZ in 2014, working as a senior personal banker on mortgage and business loans. He went to university in Otago before travelling and then pursuing a career in banking.
“I wanted a career that would put my degree to work, while giving me the opportunity to work closely with people and build strong relationships,” Mason says.
Holding a longtime ambition to work in a global centre, at the height of COVID in 2020 Mason found himself in the “right place at the right time”.
“I was looking for a challenge and exposure to larger markets,” he says. “Coming from New Zealand, I knew international experience would be invaluable for my career.
“I was fortunate to have a manager who supported me and helped open doors to make it a reality.”
Mason has thrived since. Today, he works in transaction banking, specialising in supply chain finance. That success has seen him selected as ANZ’s nominee for the Sibos Talent Accelerator Route, or STAR, in 2026.
Sibos is here again. On September 28, the world’s premier financial services conference will bring the best minds in payments together in one place: Miami, USA.
ANZ experts will be among 8,000 expected attendees sharing the newest ideas and trends that will shape the future of payments, banking and beyond.
In the lead up to the event, ANZ Institutional will bring you insights from offer unique insight into the future of the industry. You can read more here.
Front-row seat
Later in September, Mason will travel with ANZ colleagues to Miami, as part of the group’s delegation at the 2026 Sibos financial services conference. Attracting thousands of attendees every year, the event provides an opportunity for bankers to meet customers, partners and peers.
“Sibos is a large conference that brings together the world's leading banks, fintechs, regulators, technology providers and corporate treasurers to discuss the future of financial services,” Mason says. “The caliber of people and breadth of perspectives in one place is what makes it such a valuable experience”.
The STAR project sees around 25 young professionals from Sibos’ partner banks participate in a program aimed at “shaping the next generation of financial services leaders”.
According to Mason, that includes “mentoring and exposure to different perspectives from across global banking”. And that’s exciting.
“I’m really looking forward to connecting with peers from around the world, and learning from people with diverse experiences across the industry,” he says.
“We also have access to the full conference program, with hundreds of speakers covering everything from payments and trade finance to technology and innovation. It's a unique opportunity to bring back fresh ideas that can benefit ANZ and our customers.”
All of this takes place amid a packed schedule of meetings with ANZ's key clients, industry partners and stakeholders from across the world, Mason says.
“Iit's going to be pretty manic work, I think,” he says. “Not much downtime, that's for sure.”
The theme for this year’s conference is ‘digital finance for AI-driven economies’, a topic that is “undoubtedly one of the biggest in financial services right now,” according to Mason.
“It will be interesting to hear how banks, fintechs and innovators are thinking about practical applications of AI, and the impact it is having on the industry,” he says. “[Sibos] is an opportunity to learn how other organisations are embedding it in their businesses, and what that means for the future of banking.”
For AI and beyond, Mason expects Sibos will offer a unique opportunity to get “access to a huge cross-section of the industry in one place”, he says.
“It gives ANZ a one-stop shop on technology trends, and the right people at the right organisations to continue conversations.”
Heightened change
For Mason, time spent with industry leaders at the conference will be invaluable.
“What interests me most is hearing from people who are navigating a pretty significant period of change for our industry,” he says.
Mason’s advice for others who aspire to work overseas is simple: embrace new opportunities and build a strong network.
“Be willing to step outside your comfort zone and build relationships,” he says. “Those experiences and connections can open doors you never expected.
“The people you meet throughout your career can have a huge impact. I've been lucky enough to have people who backed me, and helped create opportunities along the way.”
At a bank like ANZ, careers don't always follow a straight line, Mason says.
“Looking back, some of the most valuable experiences I've had came from taking opportunities that weren't necessarily part of a long-term plan,” he says.
“ANZ is the kind of place where hard work and curiosity can take you a long way. That's a reflection of the opportunities the bank can provide.”