Whitlam first became publicly prominent in 1981 when he was appointed chief executive of the State Bank of New South Wales. Subsequent roles include Whitlam Turnbull & Co (an investment banking partnership with future Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former Premier of New South Wales Neville Wran), and the chairmanship of the NRMA Group. Whitlam was the key figure in the 2000 demutualization and listing of NRMA Insurance Limited, the country's largest insurance company, now known as Insurance Australia Group Limited (IAG).