Zurich Financial Services Australia makes board appointments

Zurich Financial Services Australia has appointed Geoff Summerhayes as chairman, along with Noel Condon and Mary Waldron as independent non-executive directors.

Summerhayes has extensive experience across the insurance, financial services and regulatory landscape. His previous roles across the industry include being an Executive Board Member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), CEO of Suncorp Life, Regional General Manager at National Australia Bank (NAB) and CEO of MLC Superannuation and Investments wash.

In addition, Summerhayes will also chair Zurich’s other related corporate entities. He previously served as an independent non-executive director on each of these boards since January 2022.

“I am delighted and honored to accept this new role. Zurich occupies a unique position as a composite – life and general – insurer and my focus as chairman will be to continue to work with our executive team, led by CEO Justin Delaney, as we develop Zurich’s proposition and operations evolve for the benefit of our customers and employees,” said Summerhayes.

“I am particularly proud of Zurich’s commitment, both globally and locally, to achieving critical sustainability outcomes and I look forward to supporting the delivery of this agenda.”

Meanwhile, Zurich also appointed Noel Condon and Mary Waldron as independent non-executive directors of Zurich, in addition to the firms other related corporate entities.

The firm also noted that Nicolette Rubinsztein has also been appointed as an independent non-executive director of Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ZAIL), in addition to her existing directorships of other Zurich corporate entities.

Zurich confirmed that the appointees will join existing independent non-executive director John Mulcahy. The announcement follows the resignations of former chairman Paul Bedbrook and non-executive director Elaine Collins.

Condon has over 40 years of experience working across re/insurance markets in Asia Pacific and Europe. Previously, he served in senior management roles at the American International Group (AIG), including as the CEO of Australia for nine years and served as a board member of AIG Australia, AIG New Zealand and the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA).

Additionally, Waldron has more than 30 years of industry experience, specifically within audit, risk and consulting as a former partner at Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young.

In addition to this, she also previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers for 14 years where she was a member of their Global Leadership team and served as Global Chief Risk Officer from 2016 to 2021.