Global regulatory technology play Kyckr has appointed Tesco Bank CEO Benny Higgins to replace HBF CEO John Van Der Wielen as chairman next year as the group revamps its board.
Mr Van Der Wielen told Business News he was a big shareholder and would remain a Kyckr director.
He said he had recruited Mr Higgins, who is also Tesco group strategy director, and it was a coup for the startup to have such experience leading the board.
Mr Higgins will start in March, bringing over 30 years of experience in financial services and global banking, including expertise growing businesses to significant scale, to the company. He is also a former member of the group executive at Standard Life, former chief executive of RBS retail bank and former chief executive of retail business at HBOS, the former parent of Bankwest.
“This is a global coup for Kyckr, with the appointment of a deeply experienced global banker and entrepreneur, who has an outstanding reputation within the global banking sector,” Mr Van Der Wielen said.
Following a review, Kyckr's board will be streamlined effective January 1 2018, with Patrick Curry, John Walsh and David Cassidy to step down as directors of the company.
The refreshed board will comprise two key Australia-based non-executive directors, Mr Van Der Wielen and Albert Wong, founding directors Benjamin Cronin and Robert Leslie in Ireland and the new independent chair based in London. Mr Cassidy will remain CEO of Kyckr.
Kyckr is a global regulatory technology (known as RegTech) business, providing solutions to help protect against money laundering, fraud and tax evasion.