Glen A. Smith granted regulatory approval as new BNF Bank Chief Risk Officer

Glen A. Smith has been granted regulatory approval to join BNF Bank plc as its new Chief Risk Officer, the bank announced on Monday.

BNF Bank first announced his appointment to the role back in May, with it coming into effect last August. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has now communicated its approval for the appointment.

In doing so, he replaces Maruska Buttigieg Gili, who submitted her resignation from the position last year after 15 years at the bank. She remained in office until the end of 2022, during which time BNF Bank had already commenced a process to find a suitable replacement “within the shortest time possible”.

Mr Smith has over 30 years of experience in financial services and banking, specialising in risk and regulation, and has occupied various senior management roles in both retail and corporate banking across various markets.

Prior to his latest appointment, he worked as Senior Risk Manager at HSBC Continental Europe, based in the Paris Head Office. There he was responsible for the management and oversight of the bank’s wholesale credit risk activities, reporting, and regulatory and risk controls covering France, Germany and Malta, among other countries.

Speaking about his appointment, Mr Smith had remarked that he is “looking forward” to drawing from his experience and expertise to execute business models that advance the bank’s profitability in a “sustainable and cautious manner” while also contending with the staple changes in trends, markets, and technologies.

“I am eager to embrace the bank’s vision and values, and to work closely with my colleagues to ultimately deliver the best products and services to the bank’s loyal client base,” he added.

CEO David Power had stated Mr Smith’s appointment does not only “further strengthen” the team, but also the bank’s position in the market.

“With seasoned leaders in place to scale and execute our plans, we can be confident in building on our customer-first strategy, offering a greater breadth of integrated solutions to support customer success,” he had said.

Through its network of 12 retail branches spread across Malta and Gozo, BNF Bank has grown to become a key player in Malta’s financial services industry, offering a wide portfolio of products for both personal and business clients.