New Zealand Member Advisory Board

Sara is the General Manager of Operations for Cunningham Lindsey New Zealand. She is responsible for delivery of all operations and service excellence for the business across New Zealand. Sara joined the insurance industry in 1988 in an insurance company claims team, and moved across to Cunningham Lindsey in 1990. Sara has held a wide variety of roles including claims handler, loss adjuster, branch manager, regional manager, process analyst, quality manager and training manager. 

Sara has been actively involved in the development and training of Cunningham Lindsey staff, and for a number of years served on the ANZIIF CIP committee supporting professional development in the industry. 

Michelle is part of Suncorp Group’s People & Culture team based in New Zealand.  In her role as Learning Leader, she is accountable for the development of capability across the Vero and Asteron Life brands in Suncorp New Zealand. 

Michelle’s career has spanned over 35 years in the insurance industry, beginning her career in a customer service role for GRE in Dunedin.  Over her career she has held roles in customer service, sales and underwriting functions before finding her passion for developing people and moving into a learning role. 

Michelle is a Senior Associate (CIP) and has been active in the insurance industry, having previously sat on ANZIIF’s Academic Council, Women’s Council as well as the New Zealand Branch Executive Committee.  She is currently a member of ANZIIF’s New Zealand Member Advisory Board. 

Catherine has been part of the Suncorp Group for the last 15 years, joining Vero in March 2013 as the Executive General Manager Human Resources. 

Catherine is accountable for the development, implementation and management of the People Strategy which supports the business objectives of Vero New Zealand and aligns to the Group’s overarching People Strategy. 

Previously Catherine was the Executive Manager Human Resources & Communication for Suncorp Life New Zealand. 

In 1999, Catherine joined the Life business of Royal & SunAlliance and supported the significant change to the business during her tenure including the acquisition and divestment of a number of businesses. Prior to joining the Suncorp Group, Catherine worked for IAG in both business and HR roles for 13 years.

Kai is a highly experienced global insurance leader who started his career at Lloyds of London and has since then accumulated more than 35 years of experience working in Australasia, Asia, North America, the Middle East and Switzerland.

He has a deep passion for the risk and insurance sector and a desire to change society's perception of the industry by transforming the overall insurance journey and greatly improving the value of protection offered to insurance buyers.

Prior to co-founding Vallum Kai, he spent almost 10 years as an Executive at Zurich Australia where he built its successful Global Corporate business and most recently held the role of General Manager for New Zealand.

He is a former Board Member of the Insurance Council of New Zealand and sits on ANZIIF's New Zealand Management Advisory Board as well as its Risk Management Faculty Advisory Board. He is also a founding member of Insurtech New Zealand.

Tim Grafton served as the Chief Executive of Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa - The Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) from 2012 till April 2024.

During that time Tim led the ICNZ response to the Canterbury earthquake series, the 2016 Kaikoūra earthquake, the Auckland Anniversary Weekend Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.

Tim played a key role in insurers becoming the agents of the Natural Hazards Commission, formerly the EQC, he led two reviews of the Fair Insurance Code, and led the sector’s response to the most extensive regulatory changes insurance has ever experienced.

Tim was awarded The Insurance Leader of the Year in 2015 at the ANZIIF Industry Awards and was the Vice-President of the Global Federation of Insurance Associations until earlier this year.

Prior to joining ICNZ in 2012, Tim was an Executive Director of a leading market research company and as a consultant has provided strategic advice to leading public entities and private corporations across a broad range of sectors and has advised two former Prime Ministers.

Tim is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and is now working as a private consultant.

Peter has been practising as a specialist insurance litigator since 1986. He began his career in Auckland then worked in London. Since 2002, he has been based at DLA Piper in Wellington. Peter heads up the insurance team in Wellington and is part of the New Zealand claims team. 

Peter’s practice covers a wide range of insurance claims issues from coverage disputes, to defence of liability claims, and finally subrogated recovery actions. He has a particular interest in property insurance and in professional negligence claims involving engineers. 

He is a regular speaker at ANZIIF and other conferences and has been associated with ANZIIF since the mid-1990s.  Having previously held the position of the President of the New Zealand Branch Executive Committee and being a member on the ANZIIF Board.

Jacqui has been working in the insurance industry for over 20 years in both NZ and Australia. Currently working at FMG she is the Head of Insurance Capability Enablement. Where she is responsible for ensuring FMG nominated representatives have the skill, capability and knowledge they need to deliver an exceptional client experience and sound advice.

A passionate insurance “geek” and committed life – long learner, Jacqui is a Fellow with ANZIIF and is an advocate for what ANZIIF does for insurance professionals within the industry.

Prior to joining FMG in 2019, Jacqui spent many years with IAG in various roles including; sales, underwriting and claims. She feels grateful to have made a careers in an industry that has such an impact and bring such benefits to NZ communities.