Suncorp appoints new group risk officer

Suncorp Group (Suncorp) has confirmed that it will welcome Bridget Messer as its incoming group chief risk officer in early 2022, subject to necessary regulatory approvals.  

Ms Messer is currently based in London at the FTSE 250 online trading provider IG Group, where she is executive director and chief commercial officer. 

Suncorp has stated that Stuart Cameron will remain as the acting chief risk officer until Ms Messer relocates and commences the Brisbane-based role. 

Mr Cameron was appointed to the role in June 2021 following the announcement that the then-chief risk officer, Fiona Thompson, was to be Suncorp’s next group executive, people, culture and advocacy. 

Before joining IG Group, Ms Messer had held a range of digital, technology and financial services roles, including as a solicitor with Deutsche Bank on its distressed debt desk, as well as serving with Australia’s Corrs Chambers Westgarth Lawyers as a solicitor with its financial services and corporate advisory team.

Suncorp Group chief executive Steve Johnston said Ms Messer’s experience would be an asset to the company.

“Bridget brings expertise across regulatory, compliance, legal and governance in a high-growth business, and we are delighted to welcome her to Suncorp to lead our risk function,” he said.

“She also has deep commercial experience and a global perspective, having led teams across multiple geographies.”

Mr Johnston added that Suncorp’s risk function would be a key enabler of the group’s financial year 2023 strategy to ensure that its systems, processes and services are positioned to support [its] growth ambitions. 

“Ensuring we have strong risk oversight, culture and strategy remains critical as we navigate today’s regulatory environment and as Suncorp focuses on digital and technology-led growth,” he concluded. 

Speaking of her upcoming role, Ms Messer said she was looking forward to joining Suncorp at “this point in its evolution”. 

“As a Queenslander, the iconic Suncorp brand is very familiar to me and I am looking forward to returning home to work with teams across the business to continue to embed a strong rigour and focus on managing risk,” Ms Messer added. 

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