Meet the judges of the 2023 RiskNZ Awards of Excellence

Raj is a collaborative leader in Risk who is a trusted-adviser to the business, leveraging global consulting and financial services experiences (Singapore, London, Washington D.C. and Auckland). During his career Raj has built and motivated high performing teams in Risk & Assurance functions to deliver customer focussed results. His approach to risk is to provide pragmatic advice, guidance and assurance balancing risk with reward. Raj endeavours to support and help lead values-based businesses to be more successful than the competition to deliver the right customer outcomes.  Presently, Raj leads the Risk & Assurance function at Lotto NZ and is part of the Senior Leadership Team, with direct responsibility for Risk policies, frameworks and systems, Controls Assurance programme and integrity of the bi-weekly live-televised draws.

• 20+ years of risk and financial services experience across NZ, Singapore, UK and United States
• Broad exposure to all aspects of retail, commercial, wealth and institutional banking
• Master of Management (Distinction) Banking
• Chartered Accountant Risk Specialist – Chartered Accountants Australia and NZ

Mark has worked in both the public and private sectors in legal, investigative, and regulatory fields in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He transitioned to risk management ten years ago and has worked as an AML/CFT consultant, a CRO for a SaaS business and across all three lines of defence in the banking sector. Mark is currently the Group Enterprise Risk Manager for SBS Banking Group.

Mark’s governance experience as a member of the board of charitable organisations has assisted with risk management understanding and application. He has designed and implemented risk frameworks that connect strategy with operations.

13+ years of experience within the Finance, Risk Management, Internal Audit, Compliance and Commercial Relationship Management environment.

Employment credentials highlight a career path of results, continuous improvements and increased levels of responsibility and accountability.

Has previously worked at Land Information New Zealand setting and forming the Risk Management strategy, in a consultancy capacity has worked with a number of public and  private sector agencies to unpack and explore risk management in ways that are meaningful and value add.

Currently works for Fire and Emergency NZ as the Head of Assurance and Risk responsible for setting the strategy , frameworks and leading a team to enhance the capability of the organisation.

Well known for innovative and customised risk management solutions that meet the maturity needs now and into the future of organisations.

Dr Maria A. Pozza, the Director of Gravity Lawyers, has positively contributed to the legal and risk community with her legal, compliance and risk, knowledge and expertise.  Her most recent book published on Risk Management (2022) by Springer that looks at the Space Industry and has been hailed by the international risk community as an insightful and timely work that gets to the heart of the risk.  Dr Maria has also been awarded the Elite Women’s Lawyer category by NZ Lawyer for her work and ongoing contributions to space law in New Zealand, she was awarded the Global Excellence Award as the Most Influential Women Lawyer in Aerospace Law – New Zealand, and was noted by AI Global Magazine as the “Lawyer in New Zealand to Watch” in light of her trail-blazing work in Space Law.  She was involved in the submissions on the development of the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act in Aotearoa and continues to be an important contributor to the current day in aspects involving space activities undertaken from New Zealand.