The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has welcomed new members to its board, consisting of key leaders in the industry.
Steve Johnston, the group chief executive officer and managing director of Suncorp, has joined the ICA board this month. He joined Suncorp in 2006 and has held various executive positions, including group chief financial officer – responsible for financial reporting and management, legal and company secretariat, taxation, investor relations, corporate affairs, and sustainability.
Johnston also served as deputy CFO and executive general manager of investor relations and corporate affairs, and he played a key role in the strategic and financial management of Suncorp, including rebuilding following the global financial crisis. Before joining Suncorp, he held senior positions at Telstra and the Queensland government.
The ICA also appointed Richard Enthoven, Managing Director, Hollard Holdings Australian (HHA), as its new deputy president.
The ICA bid farewell to three members who stepped down from its board: Tim Plant, Lisa Harrison, and Frank Costigan.
Plant has stepped down from the ICA board and as the ICA deputy president due to his recent resignation from Zurich Financial Services Australia. The vacancy will be filled at the December 2021 board meeting. Frank Costigan has also recently stepped down from the ICA board due to his resignation from QBE.
Meanwhile, Lisa Harrison, the CEO insurance product and portfolio at Suncorp, has also stepped down from the ICA board to become the chair of the ICA's new Strategy Committee. The new committee will examine issues of strategic policy importance to the general insurance sector.
Commenting on the board changes, ICA president Sue Houghton said: “We welcome Steve Johnston to the board of the ICA and look forward to drawing on his broad knowledge of the general insurance industry as well as public policy experience in Australia.
“The board would like to thank Frank Costigan, Tim Plant, and Lisa Harrison for their strong contributions to the work of the board and look forward to Lisa's ongoing leadership of the Strategy Committee.”
