QBE Group has appointed Westpac insurance head Sue Houghton as its Australia and Pacific CEO, effective from August.

Ms Houghton, the Insurance Council of Australia President, has also been Chief Financial and Operating Officer for Arthur J Gallagher in Australia and New Zealand and has held senior positions at Wesfarmers Insurance division and IAG.

QBE Group Interim CEO Richard Pryce says Ms Houghton is a highly regarded leader known for her sound judgment, resilience and adaptability, as well as for cultivating talent, fostering diverse and inclusive teams and driving performance.

“Sue’s insurance expertise, together with her experience as an executive to a major commercial lines brokerage, will be an asset to QBE, helping us continue to respond to the needs of our customers and brokers,” he said today.

Ms Houghton has led a large team across the lenders’ mortgage insurance, general insurance and life units at Westpac, which last year sold the general insurance business to Allianz in a deal due for completion in the middle of this year.

QBE’s Australia and New Zealand business has been led by Interim MD Frank Costigan and Chief Customer Officer New Zealand & Pacific Declan Moore since the departure last August of previous division leader Vivek Bhatia.

More details in our regular bulletin on Monday.