Paul Randall marks 15 years at Creditinfo Group

We recently sat down with our CEO, Paul Randall and asked him 15 questions to mark his 15 years at Creditinfo Group. Get to know a little more about Paul as he celebrates this milestone:

1. Describe yourself in 3 words? Competitive. Curious. Optimistic.
2. What was your first job? JD Williams in Manchester -a clothing retail outlet that sold clothes on credit.
3. How many countries have you worked in? Over 50 countries and counting.
4. How long have you worked in the credit industry? Over 35 years; not only just the credit industry, but also in telcos, retail, and utilities. 
5. What has been your most shocking discovery working in this industry so far? I think some of the practices on collections. I feel that collections processes need to be more humane. There is also the fact that there are additional costs to customers particularly those who are borrowing short term. There is a place for short term lending, which has a higher cost than low risk lending, however this needs to be done fairly.  
6. What has been your highest moment working at Creditinfo Group? Meetings with central banks particularly in West Africa in Senegal. The BCEAO is very prestigious organization, which is very well respected, and for us to demonstrate that we could provide meaningful services to that region, was very important. Other great moments were winning major tenders with organizations such as Pefindo and Safaricom. 
7. Out of all the markets we are present in, which one intrigues you the most and why? So many markets intrigue me in different ways. I think the variety is what intrigues me the most – working from SME’s, business lending, all the way to trade credit, and everything in between.
8. Working at Creditinfo opens doors to meeting a lot of personalities to look up to. Who have you met so far that has influenced your career? There are a number of personalities in the in industry that I’ve met and worked with. I have been lucky to have had a lot of good leaders. I have also learnt from team members, that gave me important feedback. When I was in banking, I had a risk management director Caroline Hendra, who was really inspiring as she went into a very male dominated banking environment in the 90’s, and through her intelligence, she transformed the business. Graham Platts, was also a big influence in terms of understanding of risk management and credit scoring. When I was at Experian, Mark Gaudart made it clear that it’s not only about having knowledge, but also how you communicate that information that is critical to ensuring that the message is passed. I have also learnt a lot from Reynir Grétarsson on being entrepreneurial, taking risks and having emotional intelligence when it comes to negotiation.
9. How do you as Paul maintain the equilibrium between work and life? I spend my spare time on sporting activities (practicing and watching). I also make time for my family and friends, and this to me brings balance. 
10. As our Group CEO, how can you say this role has transformed you? I’ve learned a lot about business; understanding the appropriated strategy and how to make that happen; dynamics of people within the business and I have also been so impressed by the quality of the teams that we have and how hard they work.
11. What has been your greatest motivation? Seeing the success of team members will always continue to motivate me. Witnessing their growth in different stages is always something that pushes me as well so that we all excel in the end.
12. What are you currently reading? True History of the Kelly Gang – Winner 2001 Man Booker Prize (UK).
13. What is your morning routine? Training in the morning – through zoom videos while overlooking the sea at 7:00 o’clock in the morning as the sun is rising is quite fantastic!
14. What fun fact can you share that we don’t know about Paul Randall? As you can see from the countries I have been in, I am curious and always learning about new cultures and trying out different cuisines (anything with seafood always a favorite!)
15. Parting shot? Give us a quote in Paul’s words. I like the phrase – “It is better to have fought and lost than to have never fought at all.” But I like to win!

Top trends that will shape banking in 2022 

We sat down with our Direct Markets Director at Creditinfo Group, Samuel White, to discuss some of the key trends that will shape banking in the MENA and Asia region. These were some of his thoughts:

New market players from non-traditional lenders such as telco or payment providers

We are seeing an increasingly number of non-banks entering the markets. There has been a clear sign that these companies have a wealth of internal data through their platforms and usually e-wallet transactions. It has been proven that this data is extremely valuable during the risk assessment process.

SME finance

SMEs are playing an instrumental role in local economies but still struggle to receive the access to banking products in a timely fashion. In the region every country is looking at how better to serve these customers and provide them with the solutions they require.

Digital Banks, Neo Banks, Born Digital Banks

Many of the traditional lenders are based on legacy technologies and we have seen an accelerated approach to digital transformation over the last 2 years. We have also seen some banks create new digital arms to their organization setup with new technology away from legacy portfolios. These Born Digital Banks are increasing in the region, and anybody left behind can expect to lose some market share in the future.

BNPL

Buy Now Pay Later (or as some are calling it Save now pay later) is not a new concept but there is no doubt it is growing with popularity. The demand for flexible payment offerings is at an all-time high. Typically, these smaller value loans are based on impulse buying so lenders must make sure they have the process in place to offer instant decisioning.

We also asked him how Creditinfo is playing a role in shaping these trends:

How is Creditinfo helping banks lead in the digital era? 

At Creditinfo we are focusing on helping banks streamline and improve the credit process across the full credit lifecycle, from origination through scoring, risk, decisioning and portfolio management. We are offering enhanced digital channels to meet the customer demands and reach the underserved or unbanked segments. We recognize it has become more accessible for individuals and SMEs to make use of digital financial services and by working with Banks we can develop software and applications to deliver services that are more transparent and automated.

What is Creditinfo’s business model and how do you see this model shaping the banking industry?

Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide, one of our primary goals is to help facilitate access to finance. We have built credit bureaus globally and across different markets, giving us key insights and knowledge into best practices. Creditinfo has a vision to create successful partnerships with lenders, governments, central banks to help increase financial inclusion and generate economic growth by allowing credit access for individuals and SMEs.

Creditinfo wants to continue building products and working with partners to add further solutions and data to enable lenders to further lend in a responsible fashion. Lenders are shifting their attitude towards FinTechs to keep pace with change and remain competitive. There is a huge variety of FinTech offerings available today using wide range of data that’s delivered through applications to provide lending decisions in only a few seconds.

Creditinfo Lithuania invests 1 Million Euros in new Credit Bureau System

The credit bureau is carrying out strategical changes and gathering resources inside of the group of companies.

In implementation of the development plans and presentation of new services, the credit bureau “Creditinfo Lietuva“ informs having invested one million euro into a new information system of the credit bureau and that it is going to introduce several innovative products soon. The credit bureau is implementing strategical changes – it is gathering all the data resources and processes inside the group of companies “Creditinfo Lietuva“ for more effective administration.

Last March, “Levine Leichtman Capital Partners” (LLCP) became the new main shareholder of the group of companies “Creditinfo”. It announced its plans to grow and to expand the activities of credit bureaus in the international market and to invest into development of new data-based solutions. The investor with solid international business management experience focuses on the information technologies and automated solutions.

“We have a good possibility to start providing more new services in Lithuania (as in other advanced financial markets), to start providing more new services that would enable the creditors to make faster and more accurate decisions, and the consumers to receive financing more expeditiously, – says Mr. Aurimas Kačinskas, CEO of “Creditinfo Lietuva“. – The services of credit information, risk management and data analysis that we are providing demand for bigger collection of the resources in one place, thus, we have invested into development of the credit bureau’s system of a new generation, and we have expanded the available IT platform. This allows controlling quality of the services better, providing them continuously, and expanding the suggest scope of services by innovative products.”

Automated solutions and artificial intellect data services will be introduced

The services of “Creditinfo Lietuva“ that will be launched soon will help the clients to use more automated solutions and products of the credit bureau not only in Lithuania, but also in other countries, and to evaluate creditworthiness of borrowers, and to control the financing risks. It is planned to introduce the innovations in the first quarter of this year already.

The pending changes are the part of strategy of the new main shareholder of the group of companies “Creditinfo”, LLCP – to apply the international business management experience for the activities of credit bureaus in more than 30 countries. The company of private capital, “Levine Leichtman Capital Partners” operating for 38 years, is managing 14 investment funds and has invested into 90 companies in the United States of America (USA) and Europe.

The international group of companies “Creditinfo“ includes the credit bureau operating in Lithuania, “Creditinfo Lietuva“, that was established in 2000. The credit bureau has been collecting and managing the biggest data system on creditworthiness of the Lithuanian companies and residents, and providing services of credit risk management, rating creation and modelling for more than 20 years. The company has 43 employees and its annual income in 2020 amounted to 5,6 million euro.

More information:

Aurimas Kačinskas, CEO of “Creditinfo Lietuva”

Aurimas.Kacinskas@creditinfo.lt

Tel: +370 618 10110

Creditinfo awarded license to become Malta’s first Credit Bureau

Creditinfo Malta will help local credit providers take a more intelligent approach to risk and boost financial inclusion.

London, UK – 21st December 2021: Creditinfo Group, the leading global credit information and decision analytics solutions provider, today announced that its Maltese business has been granted the license to act as a Credit Reference Agency, officially recognizing the Creditinfo Malta as the first licensed credit bureau in Malta.

This license will enable the company to launch a credit scoring system for Malta, and collaborate with local banks and lenders to create dedicated scoring products and strategies, tailored to their needs and risk appetite.

Consumers and SMEs in smaller markets like Malta are less likely to obtain financing than those in larger market with more established financial infrastructure, due to lack of information about their credit history. A credit reporting system – like the one Creditinfo is putting in place – helps to provide the information on borrowers and their financial situation lenders need to derisk the system and give them the confidence to widen access to financing.

The deal, which will see Creditinfo play an increasingly important role in the Maltese market, strengthens the company’s relationships with two key local authorities, the Malta Business Registry and the Malta Financial Services Authority, who are equally invested in growing the Maltese economy and boosting financial inclusion.

Clifford Debono, Country Manager of Creditinfo Malta commented: “A formalized credit reporting system in Malta should help open doors for small and medium-sized enterprises that have long been closed, by increasing access to credit. That will in turn enable them to grow, create jobs and benefit the overall economy.

“We see huge untapped potential in Malta, and we’re excited to establish the country’s first ever credit bureau, which will be a key driver of digitalization in Maltese financial services., ultimately boosting access to finance for individuals and small businesses.”

Paul Randall, CEO of Creditinfo Group added: “Creditinfo has been effective in strengthening the financial infrastructure in numerous countries across the world. We’re looking forward to seeing how the local lending landscape develops as we roll out our market leading credit bureau solution in Malta, derisking the financial system and widening access to the financing that will be key to future business and economic growth in the country.”

Ends

About Creditinfo

Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and analytics solutions.

With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the largest global presence in the field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest, lenders, governments and central banks globally – all with the aim of increasing financial inclusion and generating economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals. For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com

Media Contacts:

Matt Silver

Babel PR for Creditinfo Group Creditinfo@babelpr.com

+44 (0)20 7199 3997

New Creditinfo Jamaica Country Manager encourages Jamaicans to be proactive

Christopher R. Brown who was appointed as the new Country Manager for Creditinfo Jamaica on August 11, 2021, is encouraging Jamaicans to “be vigilant in guarding their credit history and their credit data and in managing them” to ensure there are no surprises when individuals or businesses seek to access services which require a credit report.

Brown, in an interview with the Jamaica Observer, reminded Jamaicans that they are entitled to one free copy of their credit report each year by law. He said Jamaicans should go to any of the credit bureaus and request their credit report each year and scrutinise it for “errors or outdated information” and where these are found, “they can then lodge a formal dispute after which it is the responsibility by law for the institution that they have lodged the complaint against, to investigate and correct it, once it is proven that it is an inaccurate record that is kept for that individual”.

He said errors can occur in the case where people may “have closed an account and completed payments on a loan account or a mortgage account, or a hire purchase agreement, and unfortunately it is not updated in the system and it is negatively impacting their credit score. So even after you have closed an account or some contract, or some credit cards or loans that you have paid, it is good to check to ensure those information are updated in the system so that your credit report is always current and up to date, because managing your credit is very essential in these days where credit is king and so fundamental to economic livelihood and, by extension, economic growth.”

He told Sunday Finance that if the entity against which the error complaint is brought, investigates and validates that there was an error, the law requires an updated credit report to be generated and dispatched to the institution which the individual had sought to do business with in the last six months. Whether terms or conditions of any agreements change after the updated information is then to be negotiated with the entity with which the individual is doing business. He stressed the importance of having the records updated because entries stay on the report for seven years.

Brown said getting Jamaicans to be vigilant in guarding their credit data is the message Credit Info Jamaica is pushing.

Credit Info Jamaica is the first credit bureau that was established in the country following the passage of the Credit Reporting Act in 2010. The company, which started its Jamaica operation in 2011, is part of a global network which has operations in Europe, Africa and sections of the Caribbean. In the region it also has facilities in Barbados, Guyana and the Eastern Caribbean.

“We see ourselves as an important part of the local financial infrastructure…part of the push for economic growth,” he outlined. Credit bureaus “have been a fundamental part of the whole improvement in how individuals and institutions now manage their risk in an integrated way. Whereas in the past, institutions would have to take the information that is given to them either by the client and other sources that they have to use intelligence to gather, now they can get it instantly, automated and at the click of a button, they can have the information of a customer sitting infront of them. It makes the application process more efficient and faster. It allows institutions to know how and who they can market their products to and what type of products they can market to individuals. It allows them to determine the credit terms that they will offer based on the credit history associated with the individual,” he added. He indicated that this has seen Jamaicans being more responsible because the list of institutions which credit bureaus collect information from to create a credit profile on an individual is extensive.

Article was originally published on the Jamaica Observer

Edwin Urasa appointed new CEO of Creditinfo Tanzania

New CEO Creditinfo Tanzania

Press Release

London, UK.

30/11/2021

Creditinfo Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Edwin Urasa as new CEO and Executive Director of Creditinfo Tanzania effective 01^st November 2021. He is replacing Mr. Van Reynders whose tenure ended in April 2021.

Edwin brings 10 years of experience from the local banking industry having spent significant time around credit and risk management, recently before joining he was responsible for the Retail and Micro-SME segment at NBC Bank as Head of Retail Credit.

“I am especially excited to join Creditinfo Tanzania, which has been in operation for the last 9 years and has over the years continued to grow rapidly enabling small to large organizations effectively manage risk and support the government and banking community providing responsible lending in Tanzania. I am looking forward to expanding the companies’ product portfolio and services through application of best practices while leveraging Creditinfo global knowledge and expertise”.

“We are very excited to have Edwin Urasa join us as the new Creditinfo Tanzania CEO. With his vast knowledge and experience in the Tanzanian banking and credit industry, we have no doubt that he will lead Creditinfo Tanzania to greater heights and move the company’s journey forward in pushing our innovative solutions to the Tanzania market as well as pushing one of our core pillars – financial literacy, to the public at large”, says Paul Randall, CEO of Creditinfo Group.

Edwin holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce (Hons), Majoring in Finance from the University of Dar es Salaam, an MBA from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University-UK and has also several certifications namely, a Mortgage advisor (CeMAP)-UK, Modules in Commercial Credit from Moody’s Analytics-USA, and Risk Management from City University -UK.

ENDS.

PR contacts:

Marketing Manager/ PR for East Africa

Phidi Mwatibo

Email: Phidi.mwatibo@creditinfo.com

Creditinfo Group, TASDEEQ, PACRA and APL partner with Pakistan Banks’ Association to facilitate wider access to housing finance

Consortium will develop a market-level application scorecard and income estimation model to boost financial inclusion in Pakistan

LONDON, UK, 21st October 2021 – Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA) recently announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with a consortium of leading financial services and technology businesses to improve access to finance for low-income segments of the population currently excluded from traditional housing finance.

The consortium, comprised of Creditinfo Group, a global credit information and fintech service provider; TASDEEQ, Pakistan’s first SBP Licensed Credit bureau, offering cutting-edge reports, statistical scores, and analytical tools for the financial industry for efficient credit risk and strategic decision making; Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) and Analytics Pvt Ltd, a leading Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, Big Data Analytics and Data Sciences solutions provider, will work together to develop for PBA a market-level application scorecard and income estimation model aimed at streamlining risk assessments and enabling a wider pool of applicants to access financing for their housing needs.

The consortium brings together industry-leading credit risk analytics knowledge, alongside extensive experience in Pakistan and emerging markets globally. The development and deployment of the automated income estimation & credit assessment methodology will be overseen through the PBA platform.

This project is being managed by the PBA Technology Working Group, comprising CEOs and members of Bank Alfalah, HBL and Faysal Bank as well as the CEO of PBA and a senior official of State Bank of Pakistan. This is a novel and unique project, and the first of its kind in Pakistan, where a scorecard will be developed using an alternative source of data.

The scorecard project will support the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme (NPHP), a government-backed initiative providing low-cost, affordable housing to deserving individuals in Pakistan that is expected to be a catalyst to accelerated economic activity and increased job opportunities in the region following the negative impact of Covid-19.

Mr. Tawfiq Husain, CEO, PBA stated, “We are very excited with the transformational impact this project can have on our members’ consumer lending and credit initiation and risk management capabilities. Starting with Low Cost Housing Financing, we hope to be able to put this model to use for other products in consumer lending.”

Mr. Omar Khalid, COO TASDEEQ commented: “TASDEEQ, PACRA and Analytics together bring a diverse array of expertise to the project. This synergy coupled with Creditinfo’s comprehensive global experience will be vital in development of low-cost housing credit scoring and income estimation models for the existing as well as new-to-bank customers utilizing alternative data sources. We are excited to be working with PBA to provide the banks with tools for quick and accurate risk decision making and working towards a more financially inclusive Pakistan.”

Mr. Samuel White, Regional Director, Creditinfo, commented on the partnership: “Our unique global experience will be complemented by the consortium partners’ local market knowledge to develop a robust credit risk and affordability solution in Pakistan. The project will provide PBA members with the required tools to make accurate risk decisions on underserved segments of the population, which is fundamental to increasing access to housing finance. Creditinfo is excited to work with the PBA to support the expansion of financial inclusion in Pakistan and help drive economic activity in the region”.

-ENDS-

About Creditinfo

Established in 1997 and headquartered in London, UK, Creditinfo is a provider of credit information and risk management solutions worldwide. As one of the fastest growing companies in its field, Creditinfo facilitates access to finance, through intelligent information, software and analytics solutions.

With more than 30 credit bureaus running today, Creditinfo has the largest global presence in the field of credit risk management, with a significantly greater footprint than competitors. For decades it has provided business information, risk management and credit bureau solutions to some of the largest, lenders, governments and central banks globally – all with the aim of increasing financial inclusion and generating economic growth by allowing credit access for SMEs and individuals.

For more information, please visit www.creditinfo.com

About TADSDEEQ

TASDEEQ is Pakistan’s first SBP Licensed Credit bureau and a leading credit information services company that leverages data analytics, technology, and industry knowledge to enable financial and non-financial institutions achieve their strategic goals with minimizing their credit risk and help consumers secure their future.

For more information, please visit www.tasdeeq.com

About PACRA

PACRA is, transforming both the rating business and the industry in line with the best practices. Today PACRA has more than 450 opinions outstanding and covering 60+ sectors and sub-sectors of economy.

Since inception, PACRA has over 8,000 rating opinion a testament of PACRA’s expertise, exceptional command, market leadership, and the confidence reposed in its opinions. PACRA rates more than 40% of KSE-100 index companies and 25% of the private sector debt, translating into a rating opinion on every 4th Rupee of debt raised in Pakistan.

The same trust and confidence have also been reposed by foreign regulators in PACRA’s ability and expertise as a CRA. PACRA has entered into a Technical Collaboration Agreements for the formation and operations of CRAs in Bangladesh (National Credit Ratings) and Sri Lanka (Lanka Rating Agency).

For more information, please visit www.pacra.com

About APL

Analytics (branded as Tenx.ai in North America) is a leading Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, Big Data Analytics and Data Sciences solutions provider. Having customers in the United States, Middle East and Pakistan, the company has accomplished a proven track record of successfully delivering high impact and complex projects.

For more information, please visit www.analytics.com.pk

About PBA

Pakistan Banks’ Association is a private limited company incorporated under the Companies Act 1913, (now the Companies Act 2017). The principal activity of the Association is to promote, advance and protect rights, privileges and interests of member banks/ financial institutions. Currently, it has 44 members on all Pakistan basis.

For more information, please visit www.pakistanbanks.org.pk

Media Contacts:

Matt Silver

Babel PR for Creditinfo

E: matt.silver@babelpr.com

T: +44 (0)207 199 3977

Average pay for women grows in Lithuania

The average pay for women has grown in 56 sectors after starting releasing information on gender pay gap. Within a matter of three months women’s average monthly pay increased by EUR 20, compared against an EUR 15 increase for men.

After Sodra (Lithuanian Social Security Authority) started publishing sectoral data on average gender pay gap, women’s average pay has grown in 56 sectors out of 81 within the past three months. Women’s monthly average pay increased from EUR 2 to EUR 325 in various sectors. In 13 sectors women’s pay grew by over 10% despite some economic activities where gender pay gap continued to grow for men, these are: insurance, re-insurance, pension accumulation companies, power generation, gas and air conditioning companies, and the pharmaceutical industry.  

According to the analysis conducted by Creditinfo Lithuania, from April to July women’s average pay grew from 0.1% to 36.1%, or from EUR 2 to EUR 325 per month. In thirteen business sectors, women’s pay increased by over 10%, with the most remarkable growth reported in accommodation (16.8%), catering and supply of beverages (21.6%), gambling or betting industry (36.1%).

An increase from 10 to 14% in women’s average pay was reported in leather production and water transport, postal and courier activities, organisation of travels, sports activities, and events management, as well as several other sectors, manufacturing of coke and refined petrochemicals, cinema and television programme production, wastewater treatment, programme production and broadcasting, manufacturing of chemicals, extraction of oil and gas.

However, from the already listed sectors only in two of them (postal and courier services, oil and gas extraction) women’s average pay is higher than men’s amounting to EUR 1,856 (cf. men’s pay of EUR 1,552) and EUR 2,851 (cf. men’s pay of EUR 2,248), respectively; whereas in all the other sectors men earn more than women on average.

An average men’s pay is EUR 185 higher than women’s, but the gender gap has been narrowing

Despite the narrowing gender pay gap reported from April to July, in Lithuania men used to earn EUR 185 more than women: men’s average pay currently stands at EUR 1,596 against EUR 1,411 for women. Last April the gap reached EUR 190, with men’s average pay standing at EUR 1,581 against women’s EUR 1,391.

Aurimas Kačinskas, CEO of Creditinfo Lithuania, notes that in the absence of a more in-depth analysis, it is not feasible to assess gender pay gap; examination must be made into the types of positions held by men and women in order to identify the reasons behind differences in salaries.

“Publication of average pay is yet another indicator which can be used by future employees or partners to assess companies; knowledge of this information encourages a better understanding and awareness of the specificities of every company”, A. Kačinskas said.

The gap continues to grow in insurance, reinsurance, financial and telecommunication services, and pharmaceutical industry

Against the background of growing women’s average pay in most of the sectors, in 22 economic sectors the gender pay gap is widening. An average women’s pay dropped by 17.9% in insurance, reinsurance, and pension accumulation sector, where men earned EUR 3,179 per month on average compared to EUR 2,284 earned by women. A gender pay gap widened further from 11.1 to 11.5% in research and technical activities, pharmaceutical industry, power and gas supply, and air conditioning.

Gender pay gap continues to enlarge in the beverages’ industry, immovable property, construction of buildings, telecommunications, and financial sectors.

For instance, in telecommunications an average monthly women’s pay in July stood at EUR 1,602 compared against EUR 2,154 for men, in the financial sector these figures were EUR 2,433 and EUR 3,620, respectively.

The yawning gender pay gap is reported in air transport, where men earn EUR 3,932 per month on average, compared with women’s average monthly pay of EUR 2,385. Human resource management experts put this gap down to a higher number of men engaged in the aviation sector in better paid positions of pilots, whereas women work as flight attendants.

Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that over three months the number of economic sectors with women earning more than men grew from 9 to 11. The sectors of education, libraries, land transport and transport via pipelines, social work, care services, furniture production, postal and courier services, tobacco and metal production were recently joined by fisheries and aquaculture companies, and motor vehicle manufacturing.

Earlier last June it was reported that, as of last April, out of 81 economic sectors in as many as 72 men receive higher pay than women.

For more information please contact:
Aurimas Kačinskas, CEO of Creditinfo Lithuania, (aurimas.kacinskas@creditinfo.lt; +37061810110).

Hrefna Ösp appointed new CEO of Creditinfo Iceland

Press Release

LONDON, UK, 23rd September, 2021

Hrefna Ösp Sigfinnsdóttir has been appointed as the new CEO of Creditinfo Iceland. She previously held the position of Managing Director of Asset Management and Brokerage at Landsbankinn. She has over 27 years of experience in the finance industry and will bring her wealth of knowledge and expertise to Creditinfo Iceland and the company at large.

‘We warmly welcome Hrefna Ösp to work and we are very happy to have her join us. Hrefna has extensive experience and a clear vision of the functioning of financial markets, which will be a major driver  in moving Creditinfo’s journey forward. Hrefna joins a team of highly motivated staff who are also excited to have her on board’ says Paul Randall, CEO of Creditinfo Group.

“I am especially excited to join Creditinfo. I have followed the company since its establishment and have been a loyal customer. I know that Creditinfo has a very strong team that provides excellent service with powerful solutions. It is exciting to become part of an international ecosystem such as Creditinfo Group which is widespread throughout four continents, I foresee many growth opportunities for me as a professional and Creditinfo Iceland as a team. I am especially keen to further develop and provide solutions the market needs, such as open banking and increased demand for knowledge of customers and the origin of capital” says Hrefna Ösp.

Hrefna holds a Degree in Business Administration from the University of Iceland and a certification exam in securities trading.
She resigned from Landsbankinn this autumn after having been there since 2010. Before that, she worked as a fund manager at Arev Securities Company from 2007. She also worked as the Director of the Listing Division and as an expert on the same at the Iceland Stock Exchange from 1998-2006. Hrefna previously worked as the Director of Personal Services at Fjárvangur and was also an employee of the Central Bank of Iceland’s Monetary Policy Department.

Hrefna has also served on the boards of several companies both in Iceland and abroad and is also one of the founding members of IcelandSIF, an independent forum for discussion and education on responsible and sustainable investments.

The Creditinfo Team welcomes Hrefna and is looking forward to start collaborating with her.

PR contacts:

Caterina Ponsicchi,

Marketing Director,

Email: caterina.ponsicchi@creditinfo.com

Creditinfo Lithuania ISO27001 certified

Creditinfo Lietuva collects, stores and analyses information about the creditworthiness of businesses and individuals, assesses their credit history and assigns appropriate credit ratings. To meet the highest data security standards, the bureau introduced an ISO certified information security management system in 2014.

The system complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2013 and is constantly reviewed, revised and subject to annual audits. On 26 April 2021, “Creditinfo Lietuva” successfully passed the periodical annual audit performed by “Bureau Veritas”.

The audit assessed the entire organization against 22 compliance criteria, including the competence and data security awareness of leadership and staff, information security management, business management procedures, sharing of responsibilities, management of documents, planning and control, activity monitoring and analysis, internal audit procedures, ability to swiftly resolve issues, continuous improvement, etc.

The audit also assessed the competence of employees of all levels, security of the information systems, IT and support, compliance of the information analysis and sales departments with the ISO requirements. The physical security and business policies of Creditinfo Lietuva were addressed by the audit as well.

The 2021 audit concluded that the information security management system of Creditinfo Lietuva meets the highest standards and can be considered a good practice. Data security in the company is given the highest priority, internal and external risks are constantly monitored and analyzed, and the company is prepared to address the risks in a professional manner.