MetLife Australia’s Customer Experience Consultant, Kat Ilieska, has been named one of The Banking and Finance Oath (BFO) Young Ambassadors for 2022.
Ms Ilieska and seven others were announced as this year’s BFO Young Ambassador cohort at an event held last week at The Ethics Centre. The BFO Young Ambassadors represent organisations from across the financial services and banking industries.
The BFO Young Ambassador Program encourages and supports young professionals to embrace a strong ethical foundation as they begin their careers in the banking and finance industry. Ms Ilieska is the only BFO Young Ambassador from a life insurance company for the second year running. Last year, MetLife auditor Aoife Donnelly was chosen by The BFO for the 2021 program.
Phillip Lowe, Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Simon Longstaff AO, Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, Anna Bligh, CEO Australian Banking Association, and other senior leaders from the financial services industry attended the event announcing this year’s BFO Young Ambassadors.
With a background in customer service, Ms Ilieska will bring a customer focused lens to the Young Ambassador program: “I connect with our customers every day and understand how important those interactions are – they are based on care and trust. I believe ethical thinking and behaviour should be embedded in everything we do, every day. I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge, networking with others from across the industry and contributing to raising awareness of the role of ethics in our lives.”
Commenting on the BFO Young Ambassador Program, Head of The BFO, Cris Parker said: “The BFO Young Ambassador program continues to go from strength to strength, and it’s wonderful to see so many different sectors within banking and financial services represented. We’re pleased to see MetLife continue to lead within the insurance sector by raising awareness of The BFO and supporting the Young Ambassador program. I can’t wait to see what this year’s cohort will achieve.”
MetLife has a long-standing commitment to The BFO and runs an annual campaign to engage staff with the guiding principles of the BFO, achieving a 40% uptake of the Oath in 2021. MetLife has also led the life insurance industry by encouraging others to take the Oath and advocating for improved ethical standards.