Nagib Kassis quits Allianz, takes CIO role at FlexiGroup

Nagib Kassis has left Allianz after 15 years at the insurance organisation to undertake his first chief information officer role at ASX-listed FlexiGroup Limited.

Since July last year, Kassis had been the general manager, data and digital innovation at Allianz Australia. He started working at the organisation in June 2002 as deputy head of infrastructure and operations before undertaking various roles at head office in Munich, Germany and back in Australia.

“It was never in the same role [at Allianz] … and that’s what kept it interesting for some time,” Kassis told CIO Australia. “It has been a long term ambition of mine to be a CIO and all the roles I had contributed nicely to this sort of role.”

Last May, Allianz Australia shipped its Munich-based regional CIO, Thomas Ruedesheim as its Australia and New Zealand tech chief. Ruedesheim has been with the company since January 2006 when he was first appointed as CIO in Poland.

Kassis said he was attracted to this role at FlexiGroup because he can own FlexiGroup’s technology and digital portfolio ‘end-to-end’. FlexiGroup offers financial products such as interest free cards, no interest payment plans and leasing, to businesses and consumers through retailers such as Harvey Norman, IKEA, Fantastic Furniture and Apple resellers.

“I will get the opportunity to digitise their platforms hellip; and start to bring some of the data, digital and innovation elements into their business so that’s the exciting part.”

It is understood that FlexiGroup’s existing group chief operations officer, Pete Lirantzis previously had responsibility for IT but the organisation has decided to elevate the CIO role independently.

CIO Australia has reached out to FlexiGroup for comment.