IAG has appointed Karen Ingram as interim Group General Counsel, replacing Peter Horton who vacated the role suddenly after the insurer said earlier this month his behaviour had "fallen short" of its expectations. 

IAG also said today it has commenced a search for a permanent Group General Counsel.
  
Ms Ingram will begin on January 8 and report to IAG MD and CEO Nick Hawkins. She was a Clayton Utz Partner for more than two decades, advising clients across financial services, mining and resources, retail, health care, private equity and property, as well as government agencies. 
  
Sydney-based Ms Ingram is Sunnyfield Disability Services Chair and an Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies Senior Advisor. 

Mr Horton was appointed by IAG four years ago after several years as TransGrid EM legal, governance and risk. He was formerly group general counsel and company secretary at QBE, Woolworths and WMC Resources, and spent seven years as Principal Solicitor at BHP Petroleum.  

On December 6, Mr Hawkins said IAG had concluded that Mr Horton’s behaviour had “fallen short” of the expectations in IAG’s employee code of ethics and conduct. 

“This includes the importance of being inclusive and respectful,” Mr Hawkins said. “We will hold people to account if they fail to meet these expectations.”