Squirrel has announced two new appointments to its senior leadership line-up, as the business positions itself strongly for its next growth chapter.
Lauren De Witt has joined the team in the newly-recalibrated role of Chief Operating Officer, while Sam Bell has stepped into the position of Head of Legal, Risk & Compliance. As part of the changes, former COO Dave Tyrer has transitioned into the new role of Group Head of Asset Management.
Squirrel CEO David Cunningham says the changes are all about setting the business up to scale well, and scale smart.
“We’re a complex business with ambitious plans. As we continue to scale, we want to make sure we’ve got the best structure—and expertise around the table—to support that growth, and wider team, in a sustainable way.
“Within the new COO role, Lauren will be responsible for overseeing our People, Risk & Operations. Lauren and Sam bring a huge depth of experience in their respective fields, which will be critical as we build for the future. We’re thrilled to have them both joining the team.”
Lauren’s background includes more than two decades of strategic enterprise operations experience, with a proven track record in building and scaling highly complex businesses during periods of transformation, growth and uncertainty.
Most recently, she spent two years as Foodstuffs North Island Operations Manager - Four Square, overseeing a network of more than 160 stores. Prior to that, she worked as CEO of executive recruitment and contracting firm Emergent, where she was responsible for successfully scaling and stabilising the business post-pandemic.
Lauren says, “Squirrel is building something genuinely different in financial services, and there’s a real opportunity to continue strengthening the systems, leadership capability and operational foundations that support long-term growth. I’m excited to be joining the team at such an important stage of Squirrel’s journey.”
A qualified lawyer, Sam brings over 20 years’ experience across the breadth of New Zealand’s financial services sector—including senior legal, regulatory and compliance roles most recently at Westpac and AIA.
Sam says, “What really drew me to Squirrel is their deep committment to challenging the status quo and doing right by their customers. I’m looking forward to working alongside Lauren and the wider team to support Squirrel's continued growth.”
Cunningham says Dave Tyrer’s transition to the role of Group Head of Asset Management reflects a tighter focus on one of the fastest-growing parts of the business.
“Dave has played an instrumental role in shaping the trajectory of our asset management business over the last few years—and that’ll still be the core of what he does. His new title better reflects the work he’s already leading day to day across our investment and asset management functions. It also allows us to continue building specialist capability across the wider business as we grow.”
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For more information, please contact media@squirrel.co.nz.