QBE’s new Australian and New Zealand Operations CEO Vivek Bhatia will start work in the company’s Park Street office in Sydney on Thursday.

As reported in a Breaking News bulletin earlier this month, QBE has recruited Mr Bhatia from Insurance & Care NSW (icare), where he was the inaugural MD and CEO.

He was one of the leading figures behind the formation of icare in 2014, building it into what QBE describes as “one of the largest social insurers globally”.

Mr Bhatia has wide industry experience as a former CEO of Wesfarmers Insurance’s Australian operations and also worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company, specialising in large-scale business and cultural transformation projects.

QBE MD and CEO Pat Regan, who was the former head of the group’s Australian and New Zealand operations and became the Group CEO on January 1, says in a statement that Mr Bhatia’s wide experience “reflects QBE’s passion for building customer and employee satisfaction”. 

Mr Bhatia will become a member of the Group Executive Committee, reporting to Mr Regan. A spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au he will be based at the Park Street office from February 1.

Australia and New Zealand contributed gross written premium of $US2 billion ($2.5 billion) during the 2017 first-half, up 5% on the same period a year earlier.

QBE said last week that the division is expected to report a combined operating ratio of 92% when the full-year results are released on February 26.