APRA Demands ANZ Overhaul Risk Management Amid Harsh Criticism and Capital Buffer Increase

April 3, 2025
APRA Demands ANZ Overhaul Risk Management Amid Harsh Criticism and Capital Buffer Increase
  • This decision follows APRA's harsh criticism of ANZ's oversight of non-financial risks, indicating ongoing issues that need to be addressed.

  • As part of the regulatory response, APRA has mandated ANZ to increase its capital buffer by A$250 million, raising the total to A$1 billion to mitigate potential operational risks.

  • Analysts anticipate that the changes required by the enforceable undertaking will lead to increased cost pressures for ANZ, affecting future expense growth estimates.

  • ANZ has acknowledged and accepted all recommendations from the independent review, which included interviews with over 110 staff, and is taking immediate actions to address APRA's concerns.

  • To oversee the implementation of the review's recommendations, ANZ has appointed Mark Evans as head of non-financial risk program delivery and created a new operational risk general manager position.

  • Outgoing CEO Shayne Elliott has recognized the need for further improvements in non-financial risk practices over the next two to three years, despite the bank's strong financial position.

  • The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has raised serious concerns regarding ANZ's non-financial risk management and reactive risk culture, as highlighted in an independent report.

  • In response to these findings, APRA has accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from ANZ Group aimed at enhancing its risk management practices.

  • At its annual general meeting in December, ANZ's board withdrew a A$3.2 million bonus for retiring CEO Shayne Elliott following shareholder dissatisfaction.

  • ANZ Chairman Paul O’Sullivan expressed disappointment over the bank's failure to meet APRA’s expectations regarding non-financial risk management and acknowledged the need for improvement.

  • APRA's chair, John Lonsdale, has noted ongoing weaknesses in operational risk and compliance management within ANZ, emphasizing the importance of a robust non-financial risk regime.

  • The bank has faced reputational damage due to a bond trading scandal and failings in its global markets division, leading to investor discontent over executive pay.

Summary based on 4 sources


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