Faunt to lead BSP retail with local team members

BANK South Pacific’s commitment to the development and promotion of Papua New Guineans has reached new heights in its management with a 100 per cent local team leading its retail strategic business unit.
The bank said in a statement that Daniel Faunt, today, takes the helm of the bank’s biggest unit – retail, as its group general manager following 40-year banking veteran Paul Thornton’s retirement.
Other recent appointments included Peter Komon, another young Papua New Guinean, to the role of deputy general manager – retail sales and customer service and Dennis Konu as deputy general manager – retail, customer experience and support.
Faunt said he was delighted to commence as the group’s general manager – retail and be able to lead in delivering services to the country and the people following Thornton’s retirement.
He thanked Thornton for leaving a fantastic legacy and was proud of the fact that with his appointment, for the first time in BSP’s history, the entire BSP retail team were all Papua New Guineans.
Faunt said Komon’s recent appointment reinforced BSP’s commitment to the development and promotion of Papua New Guineans at the bank.
“Peter brings strong experience, knowledge and energy to our senior management team and will do a fantastic job,” the bank said.
With over 13 years’ experience in the fields of microfinance and retail banking in PNG, Komon studied agricultural economics at the University of Sydney, Australia, before starting his career in 2007 in the banking and financial services sector with PNG Microfinance Ltd.
He joined BSP in 2012 as deputy head of rural banking before being appointed as head of BSP rural in 2014, a role that saw him travel extensively throughout the country, especially to remote communities, establishing over 30 BSP sub branches and BSP cash agents between 2012 and 2014. Since then, Komon has held various management roles with BSP retail, including a stint as branch manager of BSP Haus branch, from 2016 to 2017.
He was the head of the retail procedures and quota business unit prior to his elevation to deputy general manager – retail sales and customer service.
Komon joins Faunt and Konu, moving into the role that was occupied by Kili Tambua, who was promoted to general manager offshore branches, looking after the operations of BSP in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa.
Konu was a senior participant of BSP’s leadership management development programme.
He joined the bank in 1996 as a branch officer and progressed in many roles throughout his 24-year experience in BSP retail banking.