Suncorp NZ realigns management team

Suncorp New Zealand has unveiled a “new look” for its senior leadership team (SLT) with immediate effect.

The insurance giant changed several accountabilities while retaining the entire management roster and adding new arrival Chris Robb. The revamped SLT consists of the following leaders:

• Jimmy Higgins – chief executive
• Tom Hinds – executive general manager (EGM), strategy & transformation; previously head of strategy & corporate affairs
• Helen McNeil – chief risk officer
• Campbell Mitchell – chief customer officer; previously EGM for customer, brand, distribution
• Andrew MacFarlane – chief financial officer
• Sacha Cowlrick – EGM, business; previously EGM for insurance solutions   
• Chris Robb – EGM, technology; previously with Salesforce NZ
• Jane Brewer – EGM, consumer; previously EGM, technology & transformation
• Catherine Dixon – EGM, people & culture
• Grant Willis – EGM, life; previously head of life
• Annette Quesado – head of legal

“Ultimately, this is about being easier to do business with, for our customers, brokers, and partners so that we realise our growth aspirations and deliver on our purpose,” said Higgins, who described the changes as key milestones and a culture shift across the company.

“After adopting Scaled Agile in 2021, we’ve taken an end-to-end approach to improving the customer journey, and ensuring that we deliver incremental value, continuously through an aligned team.

The CEO added: “By organising ourselves and our teams to a new way of working, we can be more responsive to the changing market conditions and customer needs across our consumer, business, and life insurance businesses.”

Meanwhile, in a separate announcement today, Suncorp Group said it is selling Suncorp Bank to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) for AU$4.9 billion.