Australian Banking Association lands new head of future policy

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has appointed a new head of future policy with Nick Giurietto joining the team.

Giurietto said on LinkedIn “the right outcomes at the intersection of technology, economics and regulation can unlock productivity gains across the economy and improve lives across society."

He added he was “delighted” to step into the new roles to help “shape responses to both the challenges and opportunities in areas such as payments, digital identity, blockchain and crypto, AML/CTF and privacy.”

ABA CEO Anna Bligh told iTnews Giurietto “joined us in the office this week”

“This newly created ABA role reflects our increased focus on the future of banking and the opportunities arising through the transition to a digital economy,” Bligh said.

“Nick’s deep expertise will enhance our capability across a range of areas including payments, cyber and critical infrastructure and he also brings new insights on rapidly evolving fields such as blockchain, crypto and digital ID. 

“This new role will work alongside our ongoing work to ensure that Australian banks meet the needs and expectations of customers and grow the nation’s economy.”

The role reports to ABA chief of policy and strategy Christine Cupitt.

Bligh recently added James Abbott as chief of corporate affairs, and said both new members are set to make “a significant contribution to the work of the ABA in support of the industry”.

Prior to joining the ABA, Giurietto was the head of growth and strategic partnerships for connectID, an eftpos-backed digital identity solution fintech under the umbrella of Australian Payments Plus (AP+)

In a separate post, Giurietto said he remains “convinced that connectID with the backing of Australian Payments Plus is best placed to drive the rollout and adoption of national digital identity infrastructure”.

An Australian Payments Plus (AP+) spokesperson told iTnews recruitment is now under way to fill Giurietto’s position.

“We wish Nick Giurietto all the best and are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with him in his new role at Australian Banking Association,” the spokesperson said.

Giurietto was also a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Commonwealth Treasury until June 2020.

Over this time, he was also the deputy chair for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, assisting in the direction of Australia's national blockchain roadmap.

He has also been a member at Standards Australia for about three years and was the CEO and managing director at Blockchain Australia from 2016 to 2020.  

Giurietto has also held roles at CEB (now known as Gartner), Experian Australia and telecommunications AAPT.