Acenda appoints future chief risk and financial officers

New CFO Yvonne Le Bas arrives at the future group on the back of 25 years of experience in the financial services, property and oil sectors in Australia and internationally.

Currently, Le Bas is serving as Resolution Life’s CFO, a role she has held since 2020. Before joining Resolution Life, she held several senior finance roles, including CFO at BT Financial Group and acting deputy CFO and general manager of enterprise investments at Westpac Banking Group.

Future CRO Karen Malzard is also carrying over from Resolution Life where she leads the risk and compliance team, “overseeing risk management and compliance functions across the organisation”.

Malzard will be carrying into a similar role at the merged organisation, the insurer said.

“With over 25 years of experience in the wealth sector, Karen has held senior executive positions at prominent institutions, including ANZ Bank (as CRO for wealth), Zurich Financial Services, and BT Financial Group,” Acenda added.

These appointments follow the earlier announcement of future group chief executive officer Chris de Bruin, future Acenda board chair Craig Dunn and future independent non-executive directors.

The new appointments will come into effect once the transaction between Nippon Life Insurance and Resolution Life Australasia is complete and the Acenda name takes over, pending regulatory approvals.

After Nippon Life Insurance’s 100 per cent purchase, Resolution has also acquired Asteron Life New Zealand for NZ$410 million ($370 million) from Suncorp Group Limited, which will be included under the Acenda name.

“I am excited to work alongside Yvonne and Karen as part of Acenda’s future leadership team,” de Bruin said.

“Their combined experience across financial services and life insurance as well as their strong leadership capabilities will benefit Acenda as we lead the merged organisation through this important time for our business and the industry.”

Dunn also welcomed the new executives, calling the appointments an “exciting milestone in establishing the Acenda Group”.

“Yvonne and Karen, alongside Group CEO Chris de Bruin, bring deep expertise and strong leadership capabilities to Acenda,” Dunn said.

“I have great confidence in their ability to lead the business with integrity and a commitment to our customers and partners across Australia and New Zealand.”