There is a new face at the top of New Zealand’s Automobile Association.
Nadine Tereora (pictured) will take the role of chief executive from February next year – a move made after Brian Gibbon’s decision to retire in January 2022 after 30 years at the helm of the organisation and having been its only chief executive.
According to Association president Gary Stocker, Tereora was the best candidate for the next step in its journey.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Nadine will be joining us as CEO,” he said. “Her leadership experience in the financial services industry is extensive and varied, making her one of the leading and most innovative executives in the sector. We have worked with her before when she was CEO at Asteron Life, our joint venture partner on AA Life Insurance, and have held her in high esteem for many years.
“More importantly, Nadine is an exceptional people leader. She intuitively understands the importance of the service culture, which is at the heart of the AA, and has a natural drive towards customer innovation. She understands that we are here to serve our members, and for the greater public good.”
Tereora was most recently chief operating officer of Partners Life, the second largest insurance company in New Zealand – a role she assumed after four years as CEO of Fidelity Life. When she was previously CEO of Asteron Life she held the distinction of being the first female CEO of a Suncorp Group company.
“What is fantastic is that Nadine is clear that she wants to honour what’s special about the AA, and feels privileged to lead the Association into a new era,” added Stocker. “Brian is very supportive of this changing of the guard, and having worked so closely with Nadine, knows how well her expertise and personality will fit the organisation and its aspirations, ensuring a smooth transition ahead. At this time, I would also like to once more pay tribute to Brian who has been such an inspirational leader to us all over the past four decades.
“Brian has achieved an immense number of milestones such as turning a membership base of 600,000 into 1.8 million members, while building an Association regarded as one of the most successful in the world.”
