Tim Grafton is to take over as CEO of the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ).

He will join the council on November 12 to replace Chris Ryan, who will leave on December 21.

New Zealander Mr Grafton is ED of UMR Research, a market research company in Wellington with clients including the Earthquake Commission, Fonterra and Telecom/Chorus NZ.

Before joining the company in 2003 Mr Grafton worked as an adviser to former prime minister Jenny Shipley and current Finance Minister Bill English.

In the 1990s he was a political reporter and columnist with Wellington newspapers.