New appointment anticipates growth in non-bank lending sector
Squirrel has appointed Abi Cooke (pictured) as its new chief marketing officer.
Cooke brings to the role more than 25 years of marketing and advertising experience.
Her background includes senior marketing roles at ASB and UBS in financial services, as well as agency-side leadership on accounts for major brands including Visa, ANZ, BNZ, and Generate KiwiSaver.
Most recently, she served as general manager at digital design agency Ghost Street. Before that, she spent six years leading the Client Consulting team at Krunch, a data-led digital agency.
Squirrel CEO David Cunningham said Cooke’s strategic marketing expertise would help the company capitalise on growth and innovation opportunities.
“We’ve invested heavily into building the Squirrel brand over the last two years, taking The Squirrel Effect to New Zealand and laying the foundations for our next phase of growth,” Cunningham said.
“It’s fair to say we’ve got some big plans in the works – and Abi’s deep understanding of the industry we’re part of, as well as her proven track record of delivering results-focused, data-led marketing strategies, is going to be critical to achieving those ambitions. It’s awesome to have her on the team,” he said.
The appointment comes as Squirrel continues to expand its national presence. Founded in Auckland in 2008, the company extended into the lower North Island in 2024 and the South Island in 2025.
Cooke said she was excited to join the team at Squirrel. “I’m excited to be joining such a smart, kind, grounded team of people who are completely focused on helping Kiwi make confident financial decisions,” she said.
“I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in, telling the story in a way that feels real, and backing a team that’s already doing some seriously good work.”
Squirrel facilitates more than $3 billion in mortgages annually and holds more than $550 million in funds under management through its saving and investing platform. As of September 2025, Squirrel has lent more than $1.3 billion to New Zealand homeowners and builders, paying more than $60 million in interest to investors.
