Thorn Group has appointed Paul Rathbone as general manager of Thorn Business Finance. Rathbone is a former chief executive of Classic Finance Group, which was acquitted by CML Group. Thorn also announced that higher write-offs and bad debts would tip it into loss this year. Former People's Choice Credit Union deputy CEO Darlene Mattiske-Wood has been appointed CEO of Australian Military Bank. She replaces John Ford, who held the role for seven years. Mattiske-Wood has held several board positions in the mutual banking sector, including current director with COBA (Customer Owned Banking Association) and previous Chair of Mutual Market Place representing People's Choice in the joint venture procurement company between CUA and People's Choice. New Zealand's ASB has become an accredited Living Wage employer, meaning all workers at the bank, including security guards, cleaners and others employed by contractors providing regular and ongoing services, will be paid no less than the living wage, which is currently set at NZ$21.15 an hour ($3.45 more than the current official minimum wage of $17.70). ASB executive general manager people Robyn Worthington said the bank had paid its own employees the living wage for some time but was now extending it to a number of its contractors because it was "simply the right thing to do".