RBNZ strengthens senior leadership team

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has announced Simone Robbers and Christian Hawkesby as its new assistant governors.

Robbers joins RBNZ from the Financial Markets Authority (FMA), where she was director for strategy, risk and assurance. Prior to this, she also worked with the Securities Commission and in the private sector in banking and wealth management, and legal firms.

As assistant governor and general manager of governance, strategy corporate relations, Robbers will be responsible for overseeing communications, legal, risk and audit teams, and the board secretariat.  In her new role, she will also be managing the newly created strategic planning and performance unit.

“The role will ensure bank-wide strategies and relationship management have central coordination, such as our Te Ao Maori strategy, our climate change strategy, and the many regional and international relationships we must manage in the normal course of business,” Governor Adrian Orr said.

Orr noted it is a “great privilege” to work beside Robbers, as the newest of the two female governors in the history of the RBNZ next to Lindsay Jenkin (assistant governor / general manager people and culture) in the newly-formed senior leadership team.

Meanwhile, Hawkesby was appointed assistant governor and general manager of economics, financial markets and banking. He brings a wealth of public and private sector experience, including his most recent role as executive director of Harbour Asset Management. He also holds extensive experience in central banking and financial sectors, having held key positions at RBNZ and the Bank of England.

“It is a real privilege to have Christian return to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand,” Orr added.

Robbers takes up her new role on February 18, while Hawkesby assumes his new role on March 18.