QBE Insurance Group has appointed Leanne Nel as chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director, Pacific, effective 3 December 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, the insurer announced in a statement on Tuesday.
Since joining QBE in 2001, Nel has held senior roles across Australia and the Pacific, including head of underwriting operations, Australia and New Zealand and general manager, underwriting governance, performance and disclosure. She currently serves as general manager, underwriting and partners, Pacific. Towards the start of her career, she worked at SGIO Insurance.
Based in Auckland, Nel brings over 30 years of insurance experience, spanning underwriting, distribution, claims, operations and transformation. She previously spent almost four years leading QBE’s claims team across New Zealand and the Pacific, and has a deep understanding of the business, customers, brokers and partners in the region.
The move follows Jonathan Groves’ recent appointment as CEO of QBE Australia Pacific. Commenting on the appointment, he said, “Leanne’s breadth of experience and deep knowledge of QBE and the Pacific business provide a strong foundation for the role”.
The appointments follow multiple recent leadership changes at QBE. In August, the insurer appointed Melanie Willis AM as an independent non-executive director to its Group board, while naming Dave Curran as the next chair of its Australia Pacific board as part of a broader governance reshuffle.
In the first half of 2026, Australia Pacific gross written premiums fell 1%. Over the same period, the division posted a combined operating ratio of 88.2%, the strongest underwriting result of QBE’s divisions.
