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The Co-operative Bank (New Zealand)

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The Co-operative Bank
FormerlyPublic Service Investment Society (PSIS)
TypeCooperative
IndustryBanking
Founded1928 (1928)
Headquarters,
Number of locations
26
Area served
New Zealand
Key peopleMark Wilkshire (CEO),
Sarah Haydon (Chair)
ServicesInvestments, Loans, Insurance, Bank Accounts
Total assetsNZ$3.3305 billion (2022)
OwnerCustomers (161,000 in 2017)
Number of employees
360
RatingBBB (Fitch, June 2023)[1]
Websitewww.co-operativebank.co.nz

The Co-operative Bank is a New Zealand based and registered bank. It provides everyday banking, deposits, savings, loans, insurance and small-business banking throughout the country.

Originally set up in 1928 as the Public Service Investment Society and subsequently renamed PSIS, the Co-operative Bank became a registered bank in October 2011.[2] As of 2017 the bank has around 161,000 customers throughout New Zealand. As a co-operative the Bank is owned by its customers and its main purpose is to benefit the customers.

History

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The Co-operative Bank was founded in 1928 as the Public Service Investment Society (PSIS), lending money to public servants when others were reluctant to do so[3] On 28 June 1979, the PSIS was placed into statutory management, which ended in October 1987.[4]

In 1993, the bank was registered under the Companies Act 1993.[citation needed] In 1996, the PSIS was registered under the Co-operative Companies Act 1996.[citation needed] On 27 November 2002, the bank's chief executive John Price resigned.[5] On 14 March 2003, Girol Karacaoglu was appointed as the PSIS's chief executive.[6] By May 2006, the bank's total assets had surpassed NZ$1 billion.[7]

In June 2011, the PSIS announces that its divided would be paid.[8] In October 2011, the PSIS changed its name to The Co-operative Bank and was registered as a bank by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. [2] In January 2012, chief executive Karacaoglu and chairman Sir David Gascoigne retired.[citation needed] They were succeeded by chairman Steve Fyfe and Bruce Mclachlan later in the year.[citation needed]

By 2013, The Co-Operative Bank had paid back over $12 million to its members.[citation needed] In November 2014, the Co-Operative Bank opened a branch in Queen Street, Auckland, with Frans Kruger becoming its first branch Manager.[citation needed] In 2017, the chief executive Bruce McLachlan resigned. Chief financial officer Gareth Fleming served as acting chief executive until David Cunningham was appointed as CEO in May 2017.[citation needed] By July 2019, the bank had repaid $2.1 million of surplus profit back to its customers.[citation needed]

In early April 2026, The Co-Operative Bank was fined NZ$2.48 million by the High Court for charging 48,249 customers about NZ$7.2 million in "unreasonable fees" across a range of products.[9]

Organisational memberships

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  • Cooperative Business New Zealand (Inc)
  • New Zealand Financial Services Federation (Inc)
  • New Zealand Savings Institutions Association

References

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  1. ↑ "The Co-operative Bank Limited". Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bank Financial Strength Dashboard.
  2. 1 2 "New Zealand's newest registered bank unveiled". The New Zealand Herald. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  3. ↑ Boyce, Gordon (2005). Over Half a Million Careful Owners: A 75-Year History of PSIS. Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore Publishing.
  4. ↑ "Lessons of the past". The Sunday Star-Times. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "PSIS chief resigns". The New Zealand Herald. 27 November 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "PSIS names chief executive". The New Zealand Herald. 14 March 2003. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  7. ↑ Bennett, Adam (21 June 2006). "PSIS sees assets break through $1b barrier". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  8. ↑ Weir, James (23 June 2011). "PSIS plans modest 'cherry on top' dividend for members". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "Co-operative Bank fined $2.48m for 'unreasonable' customer fees". 1News. 2 April 2026. Archived from the original on 3 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
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