Get to know our leadership team

As you’ve probably guessed by now, we don’t do cookie-cutter.

We know only too well that diversity is one of the critical elements to a powerful team. Our people span all walks of life and backgrounds but we are united - by an attitude. It’s the same attitude that our partners share: Working with integrity and respect, to set people up for success.

Meet our Board of Directors

 

  •
    Akiko Jackson

    Chair (appointed Chair 23 May 2024, appointed to Board 6 May 2021 )

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    Akiko Jackson

    Chair (appointed Chair 23 May 2024, appointed to Board 6 May 2021 )

    Akiko is an internationally experienced Non-Executive Director and strategy adviser.  Akiko has more than 30 years’ experience as an executive in the financial services industry including with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Macquarie Bank and Westpac in Australia and MUFG Bank and Shinsei Bank in Japan, and as a strategy management consultant in the US and Australia.

    Akiko has worked in both the private and the public sectors, in large corporations and start-ups and has extensive experience in strategy & business development, risk management and large-scale transformation, including digital transformation.

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  •
    Mario Rehayem

    Chief Executive Officer, Pepper Money (appointed 2 May 2018)

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    Mario Rehayem

    Chief Executive Officer, Pepper Money (appointed 2 May 2018)

    Mario joined Pepper Money in 2011 and has held various roles including Managing Director, Australian Mortgages and Personal Loans,  and Director of Sales and Distribution, Australian Mortgages and Personal Loans. Mario was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Pepper Money in 2017 and is responsible for the strategy and oversight of Pepper Money’s businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

    With over 20 years of extensive experience across banking and finance, Mario has held senior positions in ADI’s as well as the non-bank sector. Mario’s previous roles include State Manager, Mortgage Broker Distribution - Western Australia and South Australia for Westpac.  Mario is a known champion of mortgage broker education and growing the specialist lending category.

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  •
    Mike Cutter

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

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    Mike Cutter

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

    Mike has over 36 years’ experience in the financial services industry, both in Australia and abroad.  Mike has extensive knowledge of comprehensive credit reporting regimes in Australia and international markets and was one of the original champions of comprehensive credit reporting in Australia.

    Mike is currently a Non-Executive Director of Sezzle Inc., a NASDAQ listed buy-now-pay-later company, is the Chair of PF BidCo Pty Ltd (trading as Arteva Funding) and a Non-Executive Director of Tower Limited, a New Zealand and Pacific Islands insurer. Prior to joining the Pepper Money board, Mike held various executive positions including Group Managing Director of Equifax ANZ, Chief Risk Officer ANZ Bank (Australia Division), CEO at GE Money Australia & New Zealand, and CEO of OAMPS Insurance Brokers.

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  •
    Justine Turnbull

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

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    Justine Turnbull

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

    Justine has over 25 years’ experience in driving commercial business success with her specialist legal experience on executive employment and related governance issues, in both private and public enterprises and on national and global levels. 

    Prior to joining the Pepper Money board, Justine held various positions including a founding Partner of Seyfarth Shaw Australia and Partner of Herbert Smith Freehills. More recently Justine has consulted to businesses on workplace behaviour and culture issues.

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  •
    Rob Verlander

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

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    Rob Verlander

    Independent Non-Executive Director (appointed 6 May 2021)

    For over 35 years Rob held senior positions at investment and commercial banks, in Australia and the United Kingdom, in the areas of Fixed Income, Capital Markets, Infrastructure and Securitisation. 

    Rob’s roles have included Head of DCM Origination BZW Australia (Barclays Banking Group), Head of Fixed Income Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Europe), member of Management Committee CBA (Europe), Head of Primary Markets CBA, and a leading member of CQ (CBA’s Institutional Bank Diversity and Culture Council).

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  •
    Des O’Shea

    Non-Executive Director and Shareholder Representative (appointed 6 May 2021)

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    Des O’Shea

    Non-Executive Director and Shareholder Representative (appointed 6 May 2021)

    Des has more than 40 years’ global experience in Banking and Consumer Finance. 

    He was appointed to the Pepper Global Group Board in March 2014 and he Chairs the Group Board Audit and Risk Committee. Des is currently Chair of Oodle Finance - a U.K. based auto finance business.  Des was Chair of Byblos Bank Europe and a board member of Byblos Bank in Lebanon until 2024.

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  •
    Vaibhav Piplapure

    Non-Executive Director and Shareholder Representative (appointed 23 May 2024)

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    Vaibhav Piplapure

    Non-Executive Director and Shareholder Representative (appointed 23 May 2024)

    Vaibhav is Managing Director in the London office of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). Vaibhav joined KKR in 2021 as a member of the Credit team in London. Prior to joining KKR, Vaibhav helped establish and co-headed the specialty finance investing team at M&G Investments in London, where he specialized in investing in mortgage and consumer portfolio credit opportunities in Europe.

    Previously, he was head of securitized products finance in EMEA at Credit Suisse. During his career, Vaibhav has also worked in New York and Tokyo. 

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Meet our Executive Team...

 

  •
    Mario Rehayem

    Chief Executive Officer, Pepper Money (appointed 2 May 2018)

    Dialog

    Mario Rehayem

    Chief Executive Officer, Pepper Money (appointed 2 May 2018)

    Mario joined Pepper Money in 2011 and has held various roles including Managing Director, Australian Mortgages and Personal Loans,  and Director of Sales and Distribution, Australian Mortgages and Personal Loans. Mario was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Pepper Money in 2017 and is responsible for the strategy and oversight of Pepper Money’s businesses across Australia and New Zealand.

    With over 20 years of extensive experience across banking and finance, Mario has held senior positions in ADI’s as well as the non-bank sector. Mario’s previous roles include State Manager, Mortgage Broker Distribution - Western Australia and South Australia for Westpac.  Mario is a known champion of mortgage broker education and growing the specialist lending category.

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  •
    Therese McGrath

    Chief Financial Officer

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    Therese McGrath

    Chief Financial Officer

    Therese joined Pepper Money in January 2018 as Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for providing the leadership and financial and operational management necessary to ensure that Pepper Money delivers on its strategic goals and objectives.

    Therese has over 25 years’ international experience across finance, strategy, and operations.

    Prior to joining Pepper Money, Therese held numerous senior roles at various companies including Diageo plc, Microsoft, SAP and Australian and New Zealand Banking, as well as various executive directorships including on the Oasis Fund Management and OnePath Custodians boards.

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  •
    Anthony Moir

    Treasurer

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    Anthony Moir

    Treasurer

    Anthony joined Pepper Money in February 2021 and is responsible for the leadership of the treasury function including the strategic direction and execution of multicurrency funding programs.

    Bringing more than 25 years of experience in treasury and debt capital markets, Anthony previously worked with a diverse range of bank and non-bank lenders including Qudos Bank, GE Capital, AMP, CBA, and Citigroup.

    His experience spans multicurrency securitisation programs, originate-to-sell asset portfolios, and unsecured debt issuance - including commercial paper and medium-term notes.

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  •
    Barry Saoud

    General Manager, Mortgages and Commercial Lending

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    Barry Saoud

    General Manager, Mortgages and Commercial Lending

    Barry joined Pepper Money in July 2021 as General Manager, Mortgages and Commercial Lending and is responsible for the strategic direction and operating performance across product, credit, and settlements for mortgages, commercial loans, personal loans, and direct sales.

    Barry is a passionate leader with a proven ability to rapidly grow businesses and exceed targets through innovative strategy and effective execution. He has deep expertise in mortgages, a proven ability to lead organisational change, and a strong sense of customer focus.

    Barry has previously worked with Aussie Home Loans, GE Capital, HSBC, and Norton Rose Fulbright.

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  •
    John Williams

    General Counsel and Company Secretary

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    John Williams

    General Counsel and Company Secretary

    John joined Pepper Money in 2012 as General Counsel, and in 2014 began his role as Company Secretary.

    John advises senior management and the Board on legal matters, leads Pepper Money’s legal and secretariat teams, and manages the work of external legal advisors.

    Prior to joining Pepper Money, John worked as Legal Counsel for GE Capital and as a solicitor with King & Wood Mallesons.

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  •
    Ken Spellacy

    General Manager, Asset Finance

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    Ken Spellacy

    General Manager, Asset Finance

    Ken joined Pepper Money in 2015 and brings over 25 years' experience in the asset finance industry; successfully leading sales, credit and operational teams.

    Ken is responsible for the strategic direction, operational delivery and financial performance of Pepper Money's Asset Finance business.

    Ken previously held senior leadership roles across various financial institutions; including Capital Finance, St George and Westpac.

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  •
    Matthew Tinker

    Chief Service Officer

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    Matthew Tinker

    Chief Service Officer

    Matthew joined Pepper Money in 2011 and was appointed to Chief Service Officer in 2021.

    Matthew is responsible for the strategic direction and operating performance of our customer service and collections functions, as well as the operational responsibility for our Manila servicing division.

    Matthew has over 15 years’ experience in financial services in operations and project management roles, including operations roles at the Commonwealth Bank and Woolworths.

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  •
    Michael Vainauskas

    Chief Risk Officer

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    Michael Vainauskas

    Chief Risk Officer

    Michael joined Pepper Money in 2020 as Chief Risk Officer and has over 30 years’ experience across the customer lifecycle in both traditional and non-bank lenders.

    Michael is responsible for ensuring the governance, risk, compliance, and control strategies are designed and operating effectively.

    Prior to joining Pepper Money, Michael held various senior roles at Perpetual, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, St George, AGC, AVCO Money, and Household Financial Services.

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  •
    Neil Culkin

    Head of Credit and Settlements - Mortgages and Personal Loans

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    Neil Culkin

    Head of Credit and Settlements - Mortgages and Personal Loans

    With a 20-year career in credit provision, Neil Culkin is Pepper Money’s Head of Credit and Settlements for its Mortgages and Personal Loans division.  As Head of Credit, he has overall responsibility for the Credit and Originations function, he oversees the underwriting and credit control of all consumer finance loan applications and is responsible for updating all lending policies and guidelines. 

    Prior to joining Pepper in 2011, Neil worked in various financial institutions including non-bank lender, Resimac, and St George Bank.

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  •
    Sarah Pikardt

    General Manager, Marketing and Brand

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    Sarah Pikardt

    General Manager, Marketing and Brand

    Sarah joined Pepper Money in 2011 and was appointed to General Manager, Marketing and Brand in 2021.

    Sarah leads the marketing function and strategic development of the brand in Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on improving customer experience.

    Prior to joining Pepper Money, Sarah worked with a consultancy group, helping organisations improve their strategic bottom-line performance. 

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  •
    Steven Meek

    Chief Information Officer

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    Steven Meek

    Chief Information Officer

    Steven joined Pepper Money in 2021 as Chief Information Officer. He brings over 20 years’ of diverse experience leveraging technology to drive business growth, operational performance, customer experience and innovation.

    Prior to Pepper Money, Steven led the global digital and technology transformation of Macquarie Group’s Principal Investing and Capital Solutions business and was previously the Head of Digital and Emerging Technologies for Coca-Cola Amatil.

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  •
    Sue Kent

    Chief Human Resources Officer

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    Sue Kent

    Chief Human Resources Officer

    Sue joined Pepper Money in 2009 as Head of Human Resources, and was appointed as Chief Human Resources Officer in 2017. With over 20 years’ generalist human resources experience gained within a diverse range of industries.

    Sue leads the human resources team and provides strategic and operational initiatives to support Pepper Money’s people management practices.

    Prior to joining Pepper Money, Sue held numerous senior human resource roles with Nestlé, Philips, and BHP.

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