The New Zealand Insurance Council (ICNZ) is searching for its third president in less than four months following the appointment of IAG NZ CEO Nick Hawkins as the new Sydney-based CFO of the IAG group.

The president’s role was handed to Mr Hawkins in March after serving president Rieny Marck was replaced as CEO of Lumley NZ by parent company Wesfarmers.

Now Mr Hawkins is replacing IAG group CFO George Venardos, who was one of four top-level executives replaced by CEO Mike Wilkins in a shake-up announced last week.

Mr Hawkins has been succeeded as NZ CEO by Ian Foy, the head of subsidiary company NZI.

ICNZ CEO Chris Ryan told insuranceNEWS.com.au Mr Hawkins will have a transitional period of six weeks before he moves back to Sydney.

He says while ICNZ Vice President Rob Ryan – the CEO of AIG NZ – will step into the role as President, IAG will put up an alternative for Mr Hawkins and it is likely there will be more than one candidate for the board. A vote will be held in a month.

“The council works pretty well, and we have a clear strategic plan,” Mr Ryan said. “Mr Hawkins was able to pick up a lot of the issues the board was working on in a short period of time, and we expect that to happen again.”