The reward, payroll, and benefits profession continues to see exciting career moves across the industry. Here are some of the latest updates from leaders taking on new roles:

Gemma Curtiss has been appointed Reward Director at Finastra

Gemma is experienced in designing and executing strategic reward programs across global organisations. Her background spans different industries collaborating with senior stakeholders and navigating complex regulatory environments.

In her new role as Reward Director at Finastra, she is responsible for shaping and implementing reward frameworks that drive performance, engagement, and retention.

Finastra is a global financial software leader, serving 8,000+ clients including top banks. It delivers open, innovative solutions across banking and markets, with a strong focus on cloud and collaboration.

Katie Kirby has been appointed Reward Business Partner at Bupa UK Insurance

In her new role as Reward Business Partner at Bupa, Katie will drive initiatives to ensure competitive pay, benefits optimisation, and employee engagement across the UK business. 

Katie’s background includes collaborating with HR, finance, and leadership stakeholders to deliver fair and commercially sustainable reward solutions.

Bupa offers a broad mix of services, including health insurance, clinics, dental care, care homes and digital health platforms. It’s mission is to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives. 

Natalie Buckingham BA(Hons) FCIPPdip has been appointed Payroll Manager, Leadec

Natalie is a payroll and benefits specialist with a strong record of managing complex payroll operations and benefits programmes. As Payroll Manager at Leadec, she will lead payroll delivery, ensure compliance with evolving regulations, and streamline processes to support operational efficiency. 

Leadec UK is a factory service specialist offering full lifecycle industrial support, from installation and maintenance to facilities, logistics and sustainable solutions, combining global scale with local expertise.

Saffron Freeman has been appointed Head of Executive Reward at Entain

Saffron brings senior-level reward expertise to the FTSE-listed Entain group, where she now heads up executive remuneration.

Saffron’s experience spans both public and private sectors, focusing on governance, benchmarking, and reward strategy for leadership teams. She will be responsible for designing and implementing executive pay frameworks, aligning long-term incentives with performance, and advising the board and compensation committees. 

Entain is a major global sports betting and gaming group known for its flagship brands, technology‑driven customer experiences, and data insight expertise. 

Stacey Edwards MSc FCIPP has been appointed Reward & Compliance Manager at JD Sports Fashion

Stacey is a reward and compliance specialist. In her new role at JD Sports Fashion, Stacey will bring deep experience in regulatory frameworks, reward policy, and programme design to ensure support strategic reward initiatives that enhance employee engagement and retention. 

JD Sports Fashion plc is a global omnichannel sports‑fashion retailer, founded in 1981 in Bury, Greater Manchester. It operates over 4,800 stores across 49 countries, pairing major brands and own-labels.

Dan Greaves MCIPP has been appointed Global Head, Payroll & Benefits, Squarepoint

Reward 300 member Dan brings a strong foundation in global payroll and benefits leadership to his new role at Squarepoint. 

Squarepoint Capital is a global quantitative investment firm, born from the spin‑off of nQuant from Barclays in 2014.

Dan will be responsible for overseeing multi-jurisdictional payroll operations, benefits programs, and policy harmonisation across regions. His tenure at Klarna and other high-growth environments equips him to manage scale, complexity, and cross-border compliance in a dynamic financial services context.

David Fryatt has been appointed Head of Payroll at Isio

David is a payroll leader with broad experience in managing large-scale payroll operations and client delivery. As Head of Payroll at Isio, he will be charged with ensuring accuracy, efficiency, scalability, and client satisfaction in payroll services. 

Isio is a UK‑based, independent consultancy offering pensions, investment, benefits and wealth advice. David’s role will be pivotal in supporting the firm’s growth ambitions, operational excellence, and team development in the payroll domain.