Delta Insurance has announced that Craig Kirk (pictured above) will step down as group chief underwriting officer, effective Nov. 28.
Kirk, who co-founded Delta in 2014, cited a desire to recharge and spend more time with his family as the reason for his departure from day-to-day responsibilities. He will, however, remain a director and board member of Delta’s operations in New Zealand, Australia, and its international arm.
Joleene Dawson, appointed in June as Delta’s group head of underwriting, will take over leadership of the underwriting function.
Dawson, who joined the firm in May, brings extensive experience from senior roles within the insurance sector and will continue to focus on Delta’s international market expansion.
“I’d like to acknowledge Craig’s extraordinary career, and express gratitude for his significant contributions during the past ten years,” said Kent Chaplin, chief executive of Delta. “I’d like to thank him for his uniquely empathetic leadership, his strong governance and relentless focus on underwriting discipline.
“Craig is one of the most inspirational humans I have worked with, and while we will continue to benefit from Craig’s leadership and expertise at board level, he’ll be greatly missed in the day-to-day business.”
Kirk, who was named NZ insurance leader of the year in 2022, reflected on his tenure at Delta, saying it has always been a passion project for him and the crowning achievement of his career.
“However, the true success for me has been the opportunity to work with and learn from so many wonderful people over the last 10 years,” Kirk said. “We’ve achieved some incredible things together, and while I’m stepping back from my day-to-day duties, I remain 100% committed to the business and our extraordinary team.
“This is an exciting new chapter for me and my family, but I also look forward to seeing the business continue to thrive under the leadership of Kent and the wider Delta leadership team.”
