etika, the purpose-driven, people-first finance provider based on fair and ethical finance, has bolstered its leadership team with several pivotal senior appointments as it gears up for business growth in 2023. etika has appointed Lara Stalquist as Head of People and Culture, James McCusker as Chief Credit Risk Officer, Dr Kevin Tham as Chief Information Security Officer, Emma Dye as Business Development Manager, and Lucas Robinson as Partnerships Manager, all of whom have exceptional track records at market-leading companies and banks.
The new hires mark an exciting moment in etika’s growth trajectory, with the company having achieved 170% loan origination growth in 2022 and aiming to double this figure by 2024. The five new team members, who will all be based in Australia, will help to support the company’s plans to redefine the consumer credit space across the world and extend its services into SME lending.
Lara Stalquist is a communication, coaching and people management specialist who has been appointed as etika’s Head of People and Culture. Lara is passionate about cultivating etika’s ethical values into every aspect of its recruitment, skills development and cultural presence. Her transformational approach is ideally aligned with etika’s vision to make a positive difference in the world of finance.
Before joining etika, Lara held senior management positions in human resources at the Australian Securities Exchange and a digital bank startup. Here, Lara solved HR, development and logistical challenges for large corporates, and focused on building collaborative team cultures based on shared values, making immediate positive impacts on internal team management and external relationships with clients, partners and customers.
James McCusker joins etika as Chief Credit Risk Officer, where he will be responsible for defining and implementing etika’s credit risk strategies and ensuring that customers have access to tailored solutions based on their unique circumstances.
James has spent over two decades working in banking, business operations and management across Australia’s large corporate and diversified manufacturing sectors. This experience has given him a unique understanding of the financing needs of individuals and businesses of various sizes and sectors, enabling his focus on credit risk reduction, client relationship management, portfolio management and policy writing at etika.
Dr Kevin Tham also joins as etika’s Chief Information Security Officer, who is key to ensuring customer data remains safe and secure. A seasoned information security professional, Kevin has a Doctorate in Philosophy, Security, and has previously worked in a series of high-level cyber security and technology risk roles in the banking and finance industry, including roles at Qantas and Woolworths. He is also a volunteer for the ISACA Sydney Chapter.
Also joining etika are Emma Dye as Business Development Manager in Sydney and Lucas Robinson as Partnerships Manager – both will support the growth of the team and ensure positive customer experiences.
On the new hires, Robert Schuijff, CEO of etika, commented: “I’m delighted to announce the latest additions to our leadership team. With their established expertise, strategic excellence and proven business success, Lara, James, Kevin, Emma, and Lucas will help our team and our services to expand rapidly. From considering the informed risk assessments that must take place with POS finance to ensuring diverse, sustainable and collaborative cultures, I am confident that their individual skills will benefit etika and its clients across the board. It’s fantastic to have them on board and I wish them a warm welcome into our team.”
etika currently employs 100 people across three locations worldwide – Manchester in the UK and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia – with this number set to grow as the company continues to extend its services.
Founded in 2012 by a group of technology entrepreneurs, etika is on a mission to make point-of-sale (POS) finance less complicated and fairer by becoming a tool for financial wellbeing. It works to deliver affordable finance options in a socially responsible way by bringing clarity to credit agreement terms and conditions, offering fair merchant fees, and no account or late fees.
