Associated Marine MD Stephen Ford will leave the Zurich-owned underwriting agency next month under a restructure that will see the business integrated more closely with the primary business.

Zurich will also drop the Associated Marine brand in New Zealand.

The decision to move the agency closer to the Zurich operation follows a review of Zurich’s underwriting and development strategy.

Management responsibility for Associated Marine will be assumed by the Zurich General Insurance CEO Shane Doyle, who is also the Chairman of Associated Marine.

Mr Ford will stay with the business until the end of August to assist with the transition.

Mr Doyle told insuranceNEWS.com.au the changes are part of Zurich’s continued alignment of its Australian and NZ operations with the company’s global structure, and are expected to deliver service and efficiency gains.

Two new roles – a national product manager and market relationship manager – will be created within Associated Marine’s business in Australia.

The NZ brand for Zurich’s motor insurance business, Zurich Auto, will also be dropped at the end of August to coincide with the company’s move into its new premises in Auckland.

Mr Doyle says the Associated Marine brand has only had a three-year history in the New Zealand market compared to 30 years in Australia. The decision to drop the two brands in New Zealand “are more to do with strengthening the Zurich brand in that market” than the costs associated with supporting a range of different brands.

“The retirement of the Associated Marine brand will be effective in New Zealand only,” Mr Doyle said. “There, the marine specialty will continue from within Zurich and will have the support of Associated Marine in Australia and the resources of the broader Zurich group. These changes will have no direct impact on how we do business with brokers.”