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 The former Coalition minister Simon Birmingham has been appointed the head of Australia’s influential banking lobby group.

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) represents the country’s largest lenders, as well as smaller players, and the former senator replaces the retiring Anna Bligh, a former Queensland premier.

Birmingham said in a statement he would always “put trust in Australia’s banking system first, pursue a competitive regulatory environment and work to ensure innovation in banking strengthens Australia’s financial interests”.

Birmingham retired at the recent election after 17 years in parliament as a senator, during which time he served as education minister and foreign affairs minister.

The banks have largely escaped political attention over recent years, after performing as part of the so-called “Team Australia” moment during the pandemic, and as other segments such as the supermarkets and energy retailers have taken the spotlight.

Jim Chalmers said the ABA was “fortunate to be bringing in someone of Simon Birmingham’s calibre as its new CEO”.

“I’m looking forward to engaging with him on the big issues shaping Australia’s banking sector,” he said in a statement.

Since his exit from politics, Birmingham had taken a senior role with ANZ, and will start his new role on 18 August.