The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) on Tuesday (17 Sep) announced that Steve Johnston will take up the position of Chair of its Board, effective from 1 January 2025.
Johnston, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Suncorp, first joined the ICA Board as a Director in August 2021.
He will now succeed Nick Hawkins, Managing Director and CEO of IAG, who has served as President of the ICA Board for the past two years.
As part of the appointment, the industry body said it has decided to rename its head from President to Chair, aligning with contemporary practice.
Reflecting on his time as President, Hawkins thanked the Board of the ICA for their support over the last two years, noting that during this time, the industry and its customers have faced many challenges, including Australia’s costliest floods in 2022.
He added that the industry has worked hard to adapt and improve to ensure customers across Australia have the support they need. “I am certain that the Board is in capable hands with Steve leading the way in 2025, and I congratulate him on the appointment as Chair,” said Hawkins.
On his new role as Chair, Johnston commented, “Moving forward, I am confident that, alongside my fellow board members, ICA CEO Andrew Hall and the ICA team, we can continue to build strong partnerships with governments, communities, and regulators to address the protection gap and ensure the strength and sustainability of our sector for the benefit of our customers and the community.”
He also acknowledged Hawkins’s contributions as head of the Board, commenting, “I would like to express my appreciation to Nick Hawkins for his leadership, dedication and hard work over the past two years as President of the ICA Board.”
