Ben Bessell has taken the position of President at the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF), while Scott Leney is Deputy President, it was announced today. 

Mr Bessell is Chief Broking Officer at Austbrokers. He was ANZIIF Deputy President for two years and has 25 years’ industry experience including several senior positions at IAG. He replaces IAG Chief Insurance and Strategy Officer Tim Plant who steps down after a two-year term as president. Mr Plant will leave IAG at the end of June. 

Mr Leney is Marsh & McLennan Companies Head of Risk Management Asia & Pacific and Country Corporate Officer Australia.

"It is a privilege to be elected President of ANZIIF, an organisation that has a critical role to play across the Asia Pacific region,” said Mr Bessell, who last month joined the board of the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA). 

“I look forward to working with the board and management to ensure strategic objectives are achieved and to contribute toward the ongoing professionalism of the industry.” 

Outgoing ANZIIF CEO Prue Willsford said Mr Plant  had brought outstanding support and expertise to the board. It was announced in March Ms Willsford will depart at the end of 2023 after a decade in the role.

“Tim has been a gracious and insightful strategic leader on our board for two years now and has seen ANZIIF through significant transition periods,” she said. 

Ms Willsford also thanked Past President Megan Beer who retired from the board at the ANZIIF annual general meeting today. Ms Beer had been a member since 2015. 

ANZIIF awarded Timothy Considine Honorary Life Membership for his long-term contribution and service and proactive influence within the insurance industry. Mr Considine has been a member of ANZIIF since 2006 and later became Chair. In 2017 he became Chair of Chairs. 

"Tim’s contribution as Chair helped to solidify the establishment of the Broking Faculty and promoted ANZIIF’s membership and education programs within the broking fraternity,” ANZIIF said.  

Service Awards were presented to ANZIIF Fellows Tony Smith and Michael Cooke. 

Mr Smith has been a member of ANZIIF since 1982 and he was Chair of the Reinsurance Rendezvous Committee. Mr Cooke joined ANZIIF’s Claims Faculty Advisory Board in 2012 before retiring last year. He was formerly President of the Australasian Institute of Chartered Loss Adjusters (AICLA).   

The board has begun a formal process to appoint a new CEO. 

The current ANZIIF board makeup is as follows:  

Prue Willsford, CEO 

Ben Bessell, President 

Scott Leney, Deputy President 

Tim Plant, Immediate Past President 

Sedgwick Australia CEO Diego Ascani 

Zurich COO Life & Investments Hilary Bates 

Suncorp Group New Zealand EGM People Experience Catherine Dixon 

Insurtech Australia CEO Simone Dossetor 

Allianz Australia Chief Customer & Operations Officer Brendan Dunne     

QBE Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer Fiona Hayes-St Clair 

CHU Underwriting Agencies CEO Kimberley Jonsson 

Ando Insurance CEO John Lyon