ANZ Banking Group chief executive Mike Smith will succeed Commonwealth Bank chief executive Ralph Norris as chairman of the Australian Bankers’ Association (ABA).

Mr Norris retires from CBA at the end of November.

“I’m pleased to be elected chairman of the ABA at such an important time for the industry,” Mr Smith said in a statement on Wednesday.

“My focus will be to ensure Australian banks are not placed at an unnecessary disadvantage through the onerous implementation of global reforms into a market that performed strongly during the recent financial crisis.”

ABA deputy chairman David Liddy, the former chief executive of Bank of Queensland, has also stepped down from the association.

He will be replaced as deputy chairman by Stephen Roberts, chief country officer of Citi Australia.