Acting director confirmed to lead oversight of banks and insurers
The new head of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s prudential supervision team will take charge as high-LVR lending rises and interest rates head higher.
The RBNZ has appointed Stan Christian as director of prudential supervision, confirming him in a position he has held on an acting basis. The central bank announced the appointment following what it described as an extensive recruitment process. Christian will formally take up the position on 1 November.
A familiar face at the regulator
Christian joined the Reserve Bank in 2018 and has held a range of prudential supervision roles since, most recently as senior manager of prudential supervision before stepping into the acting director role.
Before joining the central bank, he held senior risk management and corporate services roles at international banks across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United Kingdom. He holds an MBA from Bond University in Queensland.
Assistant governor financial stability Angus McGregor welcomed the appointment.
“Stan brings extensive prudential supervision and risk management experience, together with a strong understanding of New Zealand’s financial sector,” McGregor said.
Overseeing banks and insurers
Christian’s remit covers the deposit takers that provide much of the mortgage lending advisers arrange.
“I’m delighted to welcome Stan to the role and look forward to continuing to work with him in this key role, supervising the deposit taking and insurance sectors,” McGregor said.
A shifting lending landscape
Christian takes up the post as the mix of bank lending changes. The central bank eased its loan-to-value ratio restrictions from December 2025, allowing banks to direct up to 25% of new owner-occupier lending to borrowers with deposits under 20%.
High-LVR lending has grown over the past year. According to Experian’s analysis of Reserve Bank data, 17% of mortgage funding in August 2026 went to loans with an LVR above 80%, up from 13% a year earlier.
The appointment also comes as interest rates head higher, with the RBNZ holding the official cash rate at 2.75% on 28 October 2026 but signalling that tighter policy is likely.
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