Rural insurer FMG has announced the appointment of Sarah von Dadelszen as board chair. She succeeds outgoing board chair Tony Cleland.
In her introduction, von Dadelszen said that the transition was meticulously planned by the Board nine months in advance and expressed her sense of privilege in leading FMG. She also highlighted the strengths of the existing board, noting its members’ diverse backgrounds and potential for future leadership.
Under the guidance of CEO Adam Heath, FMG's executive leadership team has undergone significant evolution, bolstered by internal promotions and external recruitment. This has resulted in a robust team dynamic within the organisation.
“The board is committed to keeping FMG relevant for our members. We are focused on our core purpose to create ‘a better deal for rural New Zealand’ and we are embedding new ways of working to ensure that happens, along with responding to increasing regulatory requirements. It is the reason the mutual was formed and is one of the key reasons why I wanted to be involved, to ensure we continue to do what is right for all members and clients,” von Dadelszen said.
“To enable this takes a strong team and our culture is one to be very proud of. Our people go to work every day wanting to do the right thing. It is a great organisation, and one which I intend to ensure remains that way as it grows and strengthens,” she said.
Von Dadelszen also praised the organisational culture at FMG, noting the team's dedication to doing the right thing, which she believes is integral to the organisation's success. She stressed FMG's strong position, partly attributed to robust relationships with reinsurers, especially evident during recent adverse weather events.
“We are unique in terms of both our strong support of and presence within provincial and rural New Zealand. This is a key strength of FMG. It is a hard one not to like along with our obvious geographical spread. I look forward to exciting times ahead and to working with our wonderful FMG team,” von Dadelszen said.
In other news for the rural insurer, FMG has recently been awarded the B Corp certification, making it the nation's sole general insurer to secure this globally recognised status.
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