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We are
Vero
We are New Zealand’s general and specialist insurance experts. We’re here to make insurance mean more for our customers and it drives everything we do.
Our partners
As a leading intermediated general and specialist insurer we work with a range of business partners to make a positive difference to our customers’ lives.
Powered by our people: careers at Suncorp New Zealand
It’s our people that make us different, because they’re genuinely passionate about improving the financial wellbeing of New Zealanders.
As part of the Suncorp Group of companies we give our people the freedom to work in a flexible environment. We respect and encourage diversity and we’re committed to delivering great outcomes for our customers.
About us
We’re for New Zealand
As a leading intermediated general and specialist insurer we’re here to make insurance mean more for our customers. That means we do what really matters to make insurance more useful and more relevant to help New Zealanders feel more confident.
We distribute our products through our large broker and adviser network, as well as through our partnerships with some of New Zealand’s leading financial institutions and retailers. We create value for our customers and business partners by making it easier to do business.
In 2015, 2016 and 2019, Vero was awarded ‘Intermediated Insurance Company of the Year’ at the New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).
We are a member of the Insurance Council of NZ and adhere to the Fair Insurance Code, which provides you with assurance that we have high standards of service to our customers.
Vero Liability
Vero Liability is a specialist liability company. It insures individuals and companies for risks such as public liability, professional indemnity, employer’s liability and statutory liability.
Go to Vero LiabilityExternal Link
Part of the Suncorp Group
Vero is part of Suncorp New Zealand, a leading general and life insurance business. In turn, Suncorp New Zealand is part of Suncorp Group – a major general insurance, banking, life insurance and superannuation business with brands in Australia and New Zealand. Suncorp Group Limited is a Top 20 ASX-listed company with A$96 billion in assets and more than nine million customers.
Information
Financial strength
Vero Insurance New Zealand Limited has been given an A+ insurer financial strength rating by Standard & Poor’s.
Suncorp New Zealand leadership team
Paul Smeaton
Chief Executive
Paul Smeaton is Chief Executive Officer Suncorp New Zealand, responsible for the strategy and operational delivery for Suncorp New Zealand business which includes the Vero, Asteron Life and AA Life brands.
Paul is also a Director of Vero Liability, AA Insurance and the Insurance Council of New Zealand.
Paul has more than 30 years’ financial services experience having worked in banking, funds management, stock broking, life and superannuation and general insurance. He joined Suncorp in 1994, and was appointed Chief Executive at Vero in New Zealand during 2015.
Catherine Dixon
Executive General Manager, People Experience
Catherine is part of Suncorp Group’s People Experience leadership team which drives Suncorp’s talent, capability and workspace needs to deliver the Group strategy.
Catherine is accountable for delivering and managing the workforce and workspace strategy for the New Zealand business and the Risk and People Experience functions.
Catherine has worked in the Suncorp Group since 1999 when she joined the life business of Royal & Sun Alliance. During her tenure she has supported significant change including the acquisition and divestment of a number of businesses. Before joining the Group she worked for IAG in both business and HR roles for 13 years.
Helen McNeil
Head of Risk
Helen is the Head of Risk for the Suncorp Group in New Zealand and is accountable for internal and external risk, compliance and regulatory affairs, as well as other second line of defence risk-related accountabilities.
Helen has over 11 years’ experience in the insurance industry and spent 15 years acting as a litigation solicitor in both Australia and New Zealand.
Most recently Helen has been EM Insurance Legal supporting Suncorp NZ across a wide range of legal issues. Career highlights include leading legal matters relating to our Earthquake Recovery Programme. She was a key contributor to shaping the insurance industry’s response to the review of the EQC Act.
Jimmy Higgins
Chief Financial Officer
Jimmy brings strong commercial, financial and operational experience to the CFO role, as well as a proven understanding of the Suncorp insurance business and New Zealand market.
He has worked in the general insurance business, delivering customer outcomes across multiple Suncorp brands and portfolios. He was instrumental in leading Suncorp’s flood recovery in 2010 (including Cyclone Yasi), and established and led the New Zealand Earthquake recovery programme.
Jimmy has worked with reinsurers, government, suppliers, corporate partners, brokers and Boards in managing claims and customer outcomes for our General and Life insurance businesses.
Campbell Mitchell
Executive General Manager, Claims
As Executive General Manager of Claims, Campbell is responsible for managing claims on behalf of all Suncorp New Zealand products and portfolios across general and life insurance, including specialty brands such as Marine and Corporate.
He joined Suncorp in 2017 as Executive General Manager Customer Marketplace before assuming leadership of the Claims business in 2019.
Prior to joining Suncorp, Campbell was the Chief Marketing Office at Fairfax Media where he was responsible for all business to consumer revenue and strategy, including new ventures and growing events.
Campbell has held senior roles in marketing, sales and digital across Australasia. He began his career as a journalist.
Kate Dron
Appointed Actuary
Kate leads the Appointed Actuary team for Suncorp New Zealand and is the Appointed Actuary for both Vero and Asteron Life. Her portfolio includes actuarial valuations, capital management, investments, reinsurance and technical pricing.
She brings over 25 years’ experience in financial services, gained here and in the United Kingdom. Her background includes actuarial services, product management, strategy, risk and reinsurance.
Kate is a Fellow of the New Zealand Society of Actuaries, and is a member of the Institute of Directors..
Adam Heath
Executive General Manager, Insurance Solutions
Adam and his team are accountable for the profitability and sustainability of Suncorp New Zealand’s general and life insurance businesses, with a specific focus on portfolio management, underwriting, product, and pricing.
He is committed to creating value for our customers and our business partners across the Life, Consumer, Business, Rural, Corporate, and Marine insurance books.
Adam brings considerable commercial experience to Suncorp New Zealand, having worked across the general insurance, life insurance, banking and telecommunications sectors.
Cris Knell
Executive General Manager, Distribution
Cris leads the distribution team managing Suncorp New Zealand’s intermediated relationships with insurance brokers, insurance advisers, cluster groups and dealer groups and our corporate partners, represented by the Vero Insurance and Asteron Life brands.
With a focus on our intermediated partners, the distribution function aligns our products and services to meet customer needs, as we seek to safeguard the interests of our intermediaries, business customers and individual policyholders. Protecting the financial wellbeing of New Zealanders is core to our role.
Prior to Suncorp, Cris held a number of senior executive positions at AIG, including that of CEO of AIG Insurance New Zealand. He has working in the United Kingdom, the European Union, Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS, Asia and Australasia.
Cris has served as a board member and Vice President of the Insurance Council of New Zealand. He has been a board member of the Financial Services Council since 2016.
Jane Brewer
Executive General Manager, Technology Data and Labs
Jane is part of Suncorp Group’s Technology leadership team which is responsible for development of digital, data, insurance and banking platforms, core infrastructure, IT operations and the innovation labs function.
She is accountable for Suncorp New Zealand’s technology teams, as they continue to support the business and its joint ventures to meet strategic and growth targets.
Jane has been a part of the Suncorp New Zealand team for 13 years, and has held a variety of leadership roles in the technology and claims teams. She brings more than 20 years’ experience as a technology and business leader in the financial services team. Before joining the Group she worked for HSBC, AMP Banking and AMI Insurance in business and technology roles.
Mark Wilkshire
Executive General Manager, Customer Experience
Mark joined Suncorp New Zealand in 2019, and as Executive General Manager Customer Experience, is responsible for the development of Suncorp’s customer strategy across its Vero Insurance and Asteron Life brands and delivery of sales and service.
Before joining the Suncorp Group, he was a member of Kiwibank’s executive team, leading its product and marketing function and CEO of Kiwi Insurance Ltd. Prior to that, he held General Manager roles at ANZ where he was responsible for Lending Products and Consumer Finance.
During his career, Mark’s expertise has been the development of strategies to attract and build deeper customer relationships, enabling long-term growth. He brings significant customer-centric bench strength to Suncorp New Zealand’s business as we focus on delivering outstanding customer outcomes and supporting them when they need us most.
Vero Voice
Research shows only a quarter of 15-year-olds in New Zealand live with both their biological parents. Insurance models remain largely traditional, so how can parents with shared custody of their children make sure their contents insurance is protecting the things their kids’ value?
By Adam Heath
Executive General Manager, Insurance Solutions
