Rob Thomas is the new Chairman of Tower Australia. He replaces Keith Barton, who retired from the company last month. Mike Jefferies has been elected Deputy Chairman of the listed life insurer.

Dr Barton had chaired Tower since July 2006 and played a pivotal role in the demerging of its Australian and NZ branches last November. He had been on the Tower board since 2001.

Peter Lewinsky, Ralph Pliner, Gary Weiss, John Spencer and Managing Director Jim Minto make up the rest of the new Tower Australia board.