David Laird is a seasoned institutional banker with more than four decades of experience across banking, fintech, structured finance, and alternative investments. He is recognised for structuring complex, high‑value transactions while maintaining rigorous governance, risk management, and investor‑protection standards.

David has held senior leadership roles at ANZ and Commonwealth Bank, where he led large‑scale institutional mandates for government entities and some of Australia’s largest corporates. His client portfolio has included state government treasuries, toll road operators, national sporting stadiums, private health insurers, and federal government departments, reflecting deep capability across complex legal, financial, and technical environments.

As a founding shareholder and executive at DataMesh, a leading fintech innovator in merchant acquiring and EFTPOS technology, David oversaw the development and rollout of cloud‑based payment infrastructure now adopted by major banks and national retailers. He also served as a Non‑Executive Director of ASX‑listed Spenda (ASX: SPX), contributing capital markets, governance, and scaling expertise to a high‑growth listed company.

In addition, David co‑leads ventures across private credit, real estate, fintech, and structured trade finance, facilitating capital through instruments including standby letters of credit (SBLCs), guarantees, and bespoke project finance structures. He has raised and managed significant investor capital, working closely with high‑net‑worth individuals, family offices, and institutional funds.

David holds a Master of eCommerce from Deakin University, where he also lectured in Information Systems for Business within the MBA and MPA programs. He brings a rare combination of academic depth and hands‑on execution, with a consistent focus on de‑risking opportunities, aligning investors, and scaling businesses through disciplined governance and strategic partnerships.