RBNZ appoints new head of financial stability

The Reserve Bank has announced today the new head of financial stability and deputy chief executive.

RBNZ appoints new head of financial stability
Governor Graeme Wheeler and acting governor-designate Grant Spencer announced today that deputy governor Geoff Bascand has been appointed head of financial stability and deputy chief executive of the Reserve Bank.

Commencing the role on 27 September, Bascand will replace Spencer, who will be acting governor for six months from that date, after Wheeler’s term as governor ends.  

Alongside being a deputy governor, Bascand is currently the Bank’s head of operations. Prior to joining the Bank in 2013, he was government statistician and CEO of Statistics New Zealand. 

He has also worked in senior management roles in the Department of Labour and the New Zealand Treasury, and was a staff economist at the International Monetary Fund.

"Geoff brings considerable leadership experience, economics and public policy background to the role. Through his participation in the Bank’s Governing Committee, financial policy committees, and chairing of the Bank’s Assets and Liabilities Committee, Geoff is very familiar with the Bank’s work programmes and policy issues in the area of Financial Stability,” Wheeler said.

A search firm has been appointed to undertake a search for the Head of Operations position, which will be at Assistant Governor level, and the role will be advertised in May. The Reserve Bank Board of Directors’ recruitment process to identify a successor to Wheeler is to commence later in the year.