Javln founder Dale Smith is taking the role of chairman after more than a decade running the New Zealand-based insurtech.

He says moving from CEO to head the insurance software group’s board is a decision he “didn’t make lightly”.

“When you build a company like Javln from the ground up, there’s a huge amount of pride. I have loved this journey over the past decade and I look forward to continuing to scale the business and remain present and involved in my new capacity as chair.”

David Leach will be the insurtech’s new CEO. He has been CEO and a board member at inventory management software firm Cin7 since 2019 and has held senior positions at software company ezyVet and IT consulting firm Qrious. He was also at Orion Health for almost a decade.

Mr Smith said: “I am incredibly excited for the future of Javln under David’s leadership and have complete confidence in the executive team we have built.”

Mr Leach has been a Javln board member for four months. “I have seen the transformation potential of Javln first-hand and I’m thrilled to take on this role and lead the company’s next phase of growth,” he said.

Javln, founded in 2011, counts Trans-West Insurance Brokers and BJS Insurance Group as customers. Its platform is designed for brokers, agents, underwriters and insurers.

Current Javln chair Kerry McIntosh will remain on the board as a director.