Steadfast Group has announced key appointments within its Executive Leadership Team, with Noelene Palmer set to become Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Tim Mathieson named as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Australasia Broking.
Palmer will assume the role of COO from 1 July 2025, succeeding current COO Nigel Fitzgerald, who plans to step down on the same date to pursue a personal business venture, Australia’s largest intermediary network said in a stock exchange announcement.
Robert Kelly
Steadfast Group’s Founder, Managing Director & CEOPalmer has nearly 25 years of experience in financial services and joined Steadfast in July 2024 as Executive General Manager of Operations. Before that, she served as COO for Westpac’s Financial Crime and Fraud Prevention team. Her career spans general insurance, life insurance, and reinsurance, with senior leadership roles at IAG, TAL, Swiss Re, and KPMG.
“Noelene brings a breadth of experience in insurance over her career and is a highly valued member of the Executive Leadership Team,” said Robert Kelly, Steadfast Group’s Founder, Managing Director & CEO.
Mathieson will take on the role of CEO of Australasia Broking effective from 1 May 2025. He has a 25-year track record in the general insurance industry and has been with Steadfast for nearly a decade. He most recently served as CEO of QIB Group, a Steadfast subsidiary, where he drove organic and acquisition growth, the business said in its announcement.
“I am very pleased to have Tim return as a member of the Steadfast Group Executive team. He is an exceptional executive, with significant expertise in general insurance broking and has built an impressive track record of delivery in his current role,” Kelly said.
Departing COO Fitzgerald will stay in a senior advisory role until 30 September 2025 and maintain board positions with several Steadfast subsidiaries. Kelly expressed support for Fitzgerald’s decision, saying, “I am fully supportive of Nigel as he embarks on his personal business venture and I’m pleased that he will remain within the Steadfast family.”
Kelly also highlighted the strategic focus of the appointments, stating, “These appointments will allow the Executive Leadership Team to focus on the disciplined strategic execution of our proven business model, pursue expansion opportunities, as well as develop market-leading products and services for the benefit of our broker network and their clients.”
In the announcement, Kelly also confirmed his intention to remain in his role until at least the end of 2026. “I reconfirm my commitment to not retire before 31 December 2026. It is my intention to continue until a successor has been appointed. Steadfast has a number of internal candidates that will be considered as my successor, and in due course the Steadfast Board will commence the process to review internal and external candidates.”
