Starling strengthens leadership team with four new appointments

Starling Group today named four new members of its Executive Committee, further strengthening its leadership in the legal, compliance, and people functions. 

The appointments comprise an internal promotion and three external hires, reflecting Starling’s internal talent pool and its ability to attract top talent. Group CEO Raman Bhatia has now added eight senior appointments since he joined in June 2024. 

Catarina Abrantes-Steinberg has been appointed Group Chief People Officer, subject to regulatory approval. She succeeds Susanna Yallop, who left Starling at the end of April after five years in the role. Catarina has spent the past three years as Chief People Officer at Dojo Paymentsense, where she played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a period of hypergrowth. Prior to her time at Dojo, she held leadership positions at Russell Reynolds Associates and Expedia Inc. Catarina began her career in management consulting with McKinsey & Company. 

Ian Cox joins as Starling’s new Group Head of Internal Audit, also subject to regulatory approval. With over 25 years in the financial services industry managing audit, risk, and governance, Ian will lead the internal audit function across the Group, supporting Starling’s continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and strong risk management. Reporting to the Board Audit Committee, he will work closely with teams across the business to ensure Starling Group continues to meet the highest standards of assurance and compliance. Most recently, Ian was Group Chief Internal Auditor at Network International, based in Dubai.

Monica Risam has been appointed Group General Counsel, succeeding Matt Newman. Monica is a dual-qualified US and UK lawyer with extensive experience in the financial services sector. She joins Starling from the Lombard International Group, where she held the position of Group General Counsel & Company Secretary. Monica has also held senior legal roles at Aviva and GE Capital, and began her career at the international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges. 

Bernadette Smith has been promoted to Chief Compliance Officer from her current role as Deputy Chief Risk Officer. In her new position, Bernadette will oversee all aspects of compliance for the bank. Bernadette joined Starling in 2022 and has held various leadership positions within Risk and Compliance, where she has played a critical role in growing and maturing the bank’s Second Line of Defence.  

Raman Bhatia, Starling Group CEO, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Catarina, Ian, Monica and Bernadette to Starling’s executive team. These appointments reflect our unwavering commitment to building a world-class leadership team with deep expertise. Their combined experience will be instrumental as we prepare for the next phase of growth at Starling.”

Bernadette’s promotion is effective immediately, while Catarina, Ian and Monica are expected to formally join Starling in the early summer.