BSP appoints Nuni Kulu as first Female GCOO

BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) has appointed Nuni Kulu as the new Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO) on Wednesday 26th April, 2023, making Ms. Kulu the first Papua New Guinean woman to have this leadership role in its history.

With a career that spans over 25 years in the banking industry, Ms. Kulu entered as a graduate trainee in 1998, before moving into Retail Banking in 2019. Ms. Kulu worked across various roles at BSP and was later appointed to General Manager where she led the first Digital Strategy Business Unit for BSP.

After the recent resignation of Frank van der Poll, Ms. Kulu was appointed as the internal successor to the GCOO role and will now be responsible for the Bank’s operations functions across PNG and the six Pacific Island countries in which BSP operates.

BSP Group CEO Mark Robinson said, “The strategic role of GCOO is critically important for BSP. It requires a leader who fosters relationships based on integrity, is focused on the operational efficiency of the bank and builds internal team capability through process improvement.”

Mr. Robinson added, “Ms. Kulu understands the nuances of working in complex and challenging environments. Her deep knowledge of banking, digital, and her connection to customer and community will support BSP to continue to transform our banking services”.

After her appointment Ms. Kulu announced, “I am privileged to be in a position to help shape the operations of the largest bank across the Pacific and I am committed to making banking easier for our customers. I am honoured to assume the Chief Operating Officer position within the Group and I hope to inspire and mentor others to take on similar leadership roles.”

BSP Board Chairman, Robert Bradshaw remarked; “the BSP Board is delighted to see the investment BSP has made to promote the next generation of Papua New Guinean women as executive leaders, reflected in Ms. Kulu’s appointment to this senior role”.

Ms. Kulu hails from Manus and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University.

BSP is proud to support women in leadership through meritocracy and BSP invests in the development of both male and female leaders and encourages Papua New Guineans to excel in their areas of expertise.