Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is poised to become the first ASX 100 company to have women holding the reins of its senior executive team and board of directors.The first instalment in that unfolding story was unveiled yesterday with long-serving senior executive Marnie Baker anointed as the next chief executive of the bank when incumbent Mike Hirst retires on 1 July.While Baker was widely viewed as a "natural successor" for the top role, she is believed to have beaten a shortlist of four internal and external candidates that included chief financial officer, Richard Fennell.Baker came to the bank via Sandhurst Trustees in 1989 after graduating from Latrobe University with a business degree.Since being appointed to the senior executive group in 2000, she began to broaden her management activities beyond the custody, trustee and funds management functions of the Sandhurst company.In her current role as chief customer officer - viewed within the group as the second most senior executive position - Baker steered the development of Bendigo's digital operations, including the recent installation of the bank's interface with the New Payments Platform.Baker has been a fierce advocate of the community banking model and she views the reputational challenges faced by the major banks as fertile terrain to continue building Bendigo's unique brand."The current focus on trust and fairness for consumers plays to our strengths," she said after her appointment."It presents us with a tremendous opportunity."The CEO-elect also restated the bank's commitment to balancing the interests of the company's stakeholders - customers, shareholders, staff, business partners and the community.Hirst paid tribute to Baker's performance during his time as chief executive."Marnie is a very good people-person," he said. "She understands customers and the business very well."Baker might soon be joined at the helm of the country's fifth largest retail lender by one of the bank's independent directors, Jacqueline Hey, who has emerged as a frontrunner to take over as chairman from Robert Johanson.While Johanson has not indicated publicly that he plans to step away from the board before his current term expires in October next year, Banking Day understands that he might make way for Hey at this year's annual meeting.Hey, a former chief executive of Ericsson in the UK and Australia, is one of the most sought-after company directors in the country.She currently sits on the boards of Qantas, Cricket Australia, the Special Broadcasting Service and listed investment company Australian Foundation Investment Company.