Zopa Bank Strengthens Board With Risk and Technology Leaders

11 September 2026
#RiskManagement#ZopaBank#DigitalBanking#FintechNews#BankingTechnology
Zopa Bank Strengthens Board With Risk and Technology Leaders
2 min read

Zopa Bank has appointed Bruce Fletcher and Dr Paula Walter as Independent Non-Executive Directors to its Bank and Group Boards, reinforcing its governance, risk oversight, and technology leadership during a period of continued expansion.

Fletcher will join Zopa’s Risk Committee. He brings senior experience in risk, compliance, and regulation, most recently serving as Group Chief Risk Officer at NatWest Group. In that role, he led a 1,700-person risk and compliance function across retail, commercial, corporate, and other banking operations. He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Risk Committee at Julius Baer Group.

Dr Paula Walter will join as Zopa’s technology-focused Independent Non-Executive Director, succeeding Paul Cutter when he steps down at the end of the year after nine years on the Board. Walter previously served as Chief Technology and Information Officer at Aldermore Group, where she led technology and data strategy, as well as cyber and infrastructure risk remediation.

The appointments reflect Zopa’s focus on scaling its lending, savings, everyday banking, point-of-sale, and other financial products while maintaining operational resilience. The bank’s proprietary technology and AI platform remain central to that strategy.

Key updates include:

  • Bruce Fletcher joins the Risk Committee, adding experience in enterprise-wide risk management and regulatory oversight.

  • Paula Walter brings technology, data, cyber-risk, and operational transformation experience to the Board.

  • Richard Goulding, an existing Board member, has been appointed Senior Independent Director.

  • Paul Cutter will leave the Board at the end of the year after supporting Zopa through a major phase of technology and business development.

  • Zopa recently reported its third consecutive year of profitability, with pre-tax profit of £65 million for the year ended December 31, 2025.

Zopa Chair Gordon McCallum said the new directors bring experience in regulated transformation, technology resilience, customer outcomes, and risk management. The changes position the digital bank for its next stage of growth as it continues to compete across consumer banking products.

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