QBE’s New Zealand Pacific Chief Customer Officer Andrew Corbett has taken charge of the newly formed New Zealand and Pacific region.

Mr Corbett has already restructured his leadership team and operating model, creating five new business units.

QBE says the changes will “allow us to deliver on our strategy, reflect our new combined NZ and Pacific operations and better align with the broader [Australia Pacific] division”.

Mr Corbett, who was previously GM at Elders Insurance, was appointed after former New Zealand GM Bill Donovan announced in December his intention to retire.

Mr Donovan has handed over to Mr Corbett but will continue in the new role of GM Sales and Relationships until he retires late this year.

As a result of this change, National Distribution Manager Neil Millar will leave the company.

Sylvain Flore, previously CEO Pacific, also announced in December his intention to retire and will leave at the end of this month.

“We are currently looking to fill the new operational position of regional manager Pacific,” a QBE spokesman said.

The group last year included its Pacific and India operations in the new Australia Pacific division, led by CEO Vivek Bhatia, as it carved up the old Asia-Pacific division.

The New Zealand and Pacific region falls under Mr Bhatia’s Australia Pacific division.