AA Insurance announces changes to Board of Directors

AA Insurance has today announced two changes to its Board of Directors.  

Chair of the AA Insurance Board, Doug McTaggart, is stepping down in December 2023 after five years of invaluable service to the business.

Andrew MacFarlane will step down from the Board in early October 2023. He remains in his executive leadership role as CFO of Suncorp New Zealand. 

In December, Alison Barrass will take over as AA Insurance’s Board Chair. Alison is an experienced business leader who has operated in New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia. She joined Suncorp New Zealand’s Boards in September 2022 and is currently an independent Director on the Boards of Spark, Zespri International, Babich Wines and Rockit Global. 

Adam Bennett will join AA Insurance’s Board in October 2023. Adam is Suncorp’s Group Executive Technology and Operations and has more than 25 years’ experience leading customer relationship, technology and operational teams in his previous roles at Commonwealth Banking of Australia (CBA), Kearney management consulting and Ernst & Young. 

AA Insurance Chief Executive Michelle James said, “On behalf of the executive team, I wish to thank Doug and Andrew for their significant contributions to AA Insurance’s success. We are fortunate to have Alison and Adam join the Board at such a transformative time for our business. Their skills and experience will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategy and create more great experiences for our customers now and into the future.”     

About AA Insurance

AA Insurance is an independently operated, New Zealand-based joint venture between the New Zealand Automobile Association (NZAA) and Vero Insurance New Zealand Limited (VINZL). Since 1994 we have demonstrated trusted expertise in home, contents and car insurance in New Zealand, and in 2018 introduced commercial small business insurance. We underwrite our own policies and sell direct to New Zealanders. Our 930+ staff look after over 480,000 customers with 970,000 policies.

We proudly partner with Variety NZ and Eden Park and have been consistently recognised by: Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands (since 2011) and Quality Service Awards for Car, and Home and Contents Insurance (since 2015), Kantar Customer Leadership Index (since 2019), Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers (2011-2018), and the Colmar Brunton Corporate Reputation Index (since 2015) that recognises New Zealand’s most successful companies. AA Insurance was also named Consumer NZ People’s Choice award winner for car, home and contents (2019 and 2020).

AA Insurance has an AA- (Very Strong) Insurer Financial Strength Rating given by Standard and Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd. For further information visit aainsurance.co.nz.

For more information please contact:

Media Team, AA Insurance, 027 406 1787, mediacontact@aainsurance.co.nz

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