Starling appoints new Group Chief Risk Officer

Starling Group has announced the appointment of Keith Algie as its new Group Chief Risk Officer, subject to regulatory approval, marking a key leadership change as the digital bank prepares for its next phase of expansion.

Algie joins from ANZ, where he spent 15 years in senior risk and compliance roles. His experience includes serving as Chief Risk Officer for Europe and the Americas, Chief Risk Officer International and Hong Kong, and most recently acting Group Chief Compliance Officer. He officially joined Starling earlier this month and has begun a transition period with the outgoing CRO to ensure continuity.

The current Chief Risk Officer, Cyrille Salle De Chou, will step down to pursue a portfolio career. During his tenure, Cyrille led a significant programme to strengthen and scale the bank’s risk controls, while embedding a stronger risk management culture across the organisation.

Algie will also take a seat on Starling’s Executive Committee, reflecting the importance of risk oversight as the company grows both domestically and internationally.

The leadership change comes at a pivotal time for Starling Bank. In the UK, the bank has recently refreshed its brand and is preparing to roll out a major customer acquisition campaign. Internationally, its Software-as-a-Service platform, Engine by Starling, has secured new clients in Canada and New Zealand, underscoring its ambitions beyond its home market.

Group CEO Raman Bhatia welcomed the appointment, saying Algie’s “broad risk management expertise and international experience will be invaluable to us as we scale the Group in the UK and overseas”. He also paid tribute to Cyrille’s contributions, thanking him for strengthening the bank’s risk capabilities and wishing him success in his next chapter.