QBE Australia and New Zealand is recruiting a chief risk officer to replace Mark Baxter, who left last week to take a career break.

Chief Strategy Officer Fiona Hayes-St Clair will fill the role in the interim, a QBE spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

Mr Baxter took on the role in April last year, leading a team of 80 staff responsible for risk management, compliance, government relations, protective services and dispute resolution, his LinkedIn profile says.