Zopa taps Monzo director as chief risk officer
Zopa Bank has hired Graham Robinson as its new chief risk officer, as the digital lender continues its hiring spree ahead of a planned public listing in 2022.
Robinson was formerly Monzo’s director of credit. He helped the challenger bank build its credit risk management function from scratch to develop lending capabilities.
Prior to Monzo, he spent more than 20 years at Capital One.
Robinson will lead Zopa’s credit risk function as the company prepares for an initial public offering (IPO) next year.
“Zopa is unique as it has the energy and innovation of a new bank, but 16 years’ experience and expertise in the lending market,” said Robinson.
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“No other provider has this combination across digital banking. Zopa’s growth so far has been exciting, and I believe that its approach to risk management can continue to give it a competitive advantage in the future.
“I’m delighted to be joining Zopa at this pivotal point in its journey and to be part of a team delivering products and services that truly help people manage their money better.”
Robinson’s appointment comes just weeks after former PepsiCo executive Helen Beurier was hired as the company’s first chief people officer. At the time, it was said that Beurier would lead a pre-IPO talent drive for Zopa.
“At Zopa we have an ambitious vision,” said Jaidev Janardana, Zopa’s chief executive.
“We will only achieve it by attracting the best talent across all functions, including in our senior leadership team. We’re delighted to welcome Graham to the team. He brings a wealth of experience in risk management which will enable Zopa to build a strong and well controlled platform for continued growth.”
Last month, Zopa raised $300m (£220m) in a funding round led by Softbank, with backing from existing investors IAG Silverstripe, Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP, NorthZone and Augmentum Fintech.
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