Westpac Banking Corp chairman Ted Evans says that chief executive Gail Kelly is a "great asset" as the company attempts to buy rival St George Bank Ltd. But Mr Evans said on ABC's Inside Business program that Westpac's management hadn't considered the possibility of the takeover when they approached Ms Kelly, who was then chief executive of St George. Rather, her ability to improve customer service at St George, Australia's fifth biggest bank, had been the main reason why Westpac had chosen her as the new chief executive, Mr Evans said. Ms Kelly's presence "gives us a lot of confidence in executing the takeover," said Mr Evans, who personally offered her the chief executive's role. "The integration of the two (banks) will go on for a couple of years. It will help so much the she will be leading."