The newly appointed Chair of the Asteron Life New Zealand Board, Barbara Chapman, has announced the appointments of four non-executive directors, Simon Tyler, Keith Taylor, Anne Blackburn and Rachel Walsh to the Board, effective from September 2026.
The insurer says the appointments support Acenda Group’s proposal to bring Asteron Life and Resolution Life New Zealand together under a single life insurance company, subject to regulatory approval (see: Asteron Life, Resolution Life to Become Acenda Life.)
The company says that together the directors bring extensive experience in governance, life insurance, banking, investments and risk management, along with experience in other large, highly regulated industries.
Chapman says the Board appointments reflect the scale, significance and future ambition of the business that intends to operate as Acenda Life New Zealand from 2027.
She says Tyler, Taylor, Blackburn and Walsh “…bring extensive governance and leadership expertise from across banking, financial services and other relevant industries.”
“We have assembled a highly capable Board, with the skills, perspectives and experience needed to guide our business through this important transition, and support our customers, people and partners as we prepare to operate under a single brand,” says Chapman.
Asteron Life says that in due course, directors Julia Raue, Alison O’Connell, Michael Schubert and Karen Scheirlinck will retire from their roles on the Asteron Life, New Zealand Policyholder Advisory Committee and Resolution Life New Zealand Boards respectively, as part of planned governance consolidation.
On behalf of the Asteron Life New Zealand business, Chapman thanked Raue “…for the important role she has played in leading the people-first strategy that underpinned Asteron Life’s successful separation from Suncorp.”
She says that O’Connell, Schubert and Scheirlinck “…provided invaluable stewardship for the Resolution Life business through periods of change and transformation, helping to establish the foundations for our future organisation.”