Opinions

Opinions

Raising the bar in the fight on scams

- Roger Beaumont Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2023, 13 March 2024 Scams targeting New Zealanders are on the rise, and they’re becoming increasingly sophisticated. The impact can be devastating, with some people losing their life savings. Because of the customer impact, and the fact that banks are often at the end... Read more »
Opinions

Peak interest rates and the long road ahead

- Roger Beaumont Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey March 2023 Quarterly Results With interest rates rising sharply to combat inflation and the cost of living, combined with severe flooding and cyclone damage in the North Island, the first half of 2023 has been eventful to say the least. While some commentators are saying the... Read more »
Opinions

Fasten your seatbelts

- Roger Beaumont Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2022, 14 March 2023 We continue to live in interesting times. Since the arrival of Covid-19 three years ago, provoking an unprecedented response around the world and in New Zealand, nothing seems quite the same. While New Zealand weathered the Covid onslaught relatively well... Read more »
Opinions

Mind the gap: Gender pay disparity too wide

- Roger Beaumont Published in the NBR, 25 June 2022 Thirty years ago, if you’d been asked to describe a bank manager or a bank CEO, you would probably have envisaged a man in a suit and tie, in a very large wood-panelled office behind a disproportionately large desk, potentially even puffing on a cigar. I’m... Read more »
Opinions

Riding the Covid rollercoaster

- Roger Beaumont Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2021, 8 March 2022 Two years since Covid-19 hit New Zealand it’s still dominating the headlines. In 2021 the global pandemic continued to have an extraordinary impact on households and businesses. Plans to re-open our borders have been a moveable feast and the emotional... Read more »
Opinions

Delivering in a crisis

- Roger Beaumont, Chief Executive Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2020, 23 February 2021 To describe 2020 as a memorable year might be the understatement of the century. 2020 made an indelible impression on most of us because of many things, including a conclusion to Brexit negotiations, an end to the Trump... Read more »
Opinions

A message for you from your bank

- Published in major daily newspapers, 18 and 19 April 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic is impacting us all. We understand many of you are feeling stress and anxiety and we want to assure you that we are here to support you through this time. Our people are part of your community. We are working hard right... Read more »
Opinions

Conduct, culture and capital

- Roger Beaumont, Chief Executive Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2019, 19 February 2020 The New Zealand banking industry is living in interesting times. In 2019 the three C’s – conduct, culture and capital – dominated our landscape. Where have we got to and what’s coming up? Good conduct and customer outcomes... Read more »
Opinions

Spotlight on banking conduct

- Roger Beaumont, Chief Executive Published in KPMG’s Financial Institutions Performance Survey Review of 2018, 13 February 2019 In 2018 the spotlight went on bank conduct and culture in New Zealand. The Financial Markets Authority and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand launched a joint review in response to the Australian Royal Commission into financial services... Read more »