Meet the Staff: Stephen Meade, Risk & Compliance Officer

I’m very new to both ANSAC and the credit union sector and it’s fair to say that most of our members will never see, hear, or interact with me. My background is in financial risk and compliance but joining ANSAC has allowed me to look at Data Protection also which is new to me but a great challenge. In my free time, I’m kept very busy with my two young kids but given any opportunity I’ll attend any live sport event whether it’s Shels around the corner from the office, Dublin football, or National Hunt races to name a few.

How long have you worked in ANSAC? Started in May 2025 so still very much a newbie

Since joining the team, has anything surprised you about (A) Credit Unions & (B) The Defence Forces?  (A) Definitely the amount of policy documents and I also wasn’t aware that every CU Board member is a volunteer. (B) I had very little practical knowledge on the DF before starting and didn’t appreciate the division between enlisted members & officers etc. Also, the number of acronyms takes some getting used to in the DF, but Ricky McCausland, our Community Engagement Officer, who many will know served in the DF for 23 years in total (11 in the 1st Armoured Cavalry Squadron & the final 12 years as BPSSO in the DFTC)is constantly helping with them as they crop up.

What does a typical workday look like for you? – I have several areas to look at between Risk, Compliance, Data Protection, ESG and being a part of the management team so the focus constantly shifts but my overall aim is to make sure that the great work all the team in ANSAC do for our members matches with both internal and external expectations.

If you were to compare the ANSAC Office to a TV show, what would you pick?  Succession (One big happy family!)

If you’d to choose between these “Risky” scenarios which, would you pick?   

• Abseil down The Spire or swim the length of Glendalough (without arm bands!) – I’ve no issues with heights but could barely swim a length of a pool so it’d have to be the abseil.
• Ride a bull or pet a crocodile – I did run with the bulls in Pamplona before and I’m a big fan of the Yellowstone TV show, so I’d have to choose the bull
• Say “yes” or say “no” to everything for a week –I work in risk so I should probably say “no” by default but saying “yes” would be far better craic.