Bank of Sydney’s new CEO Kieran McKenna has moved to reshape the lender’s leadership team for its next growth phase.
Bank of Sydney has announced a trio of senior appointments designed to lock in momentum and sharpen its focus on growth and customer experience.
The bank said it was “strengthening its leadership team to drive strategic growth and enhance customer experiences”, confirming that long‑time executive Stella Grilis had been elevated to the executive team as chief financial officer (CFO), while current chief marketing officer Maria Karavias would step into a newly created chief customer officer (CCO) role.
Grilis, who joined Bank of Sydney in 2004, has served in roles spanning financial control, management and regulatory accounting, credit and liquidity risk, and acting chief risk officer.
She became acting CFO in November 2025 and will now take on the role permanently.
Karavias joined in 2023 as chief marketing officer and brings more than 30 years’ experience across financial services, media, retail, and business services.
The bank said that her shift into the expanded CCO role was designed to reflect the rising importance of experience and engagement.
It also revealed that Caroline Ferris had been appointed head of transformation and strategy, reporting to chief operating officer Geoff Wenborn.
Ferris arrived at Bank of Sydney in 2024 as head of core banking transformation and led the delivery of Project Apple, which the bank described as the largest transformation program in its history.
Bank of Sydney stated that the changes formed part of newly appointed CEO Kieran McKenna’s focus on consolidating the executive bench as the organisation “moves beyond a period of significant transformation and executes its growth strategy”.
According to the bank, the appointments bring “extensive banking expertise, customer insight and leadership continuity” to the executive team.
McKenna said the appointments “brought together deep institutional knowledge and customer-focused leadership at an important time for the bank”.
He emphasised that the three executives had already played central roles in steering change.
“These appointments recognise highly respected leaders who have already made significant contributions to Bank of Sydney, which is more important than ever as we enter this next phase of growth,” he said.
“Stella, Maria and Caroline have all played important roles in our transformation journey, and these appointments demonstrate the strength of our team and our commitment to developing leaders from within the organisation.”
[Related: New Bank of Sydney CEO appointed]
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