Nicholas Whitlam has been appointed chair of NSW’s State Insurance Regulatory Authority, replacing Trevor Matthews, who has held the role since 2015.

Mr Whitlam is a former NRMA president and Port Authority of NSW chair, has served on the boards of WorkCover NSW and WorkCover Insurance Investment Fund, and was State Bank of NSW CEO. He is the son of former prime minister Gough Whitlam.

Helen Rowell has also been appointed to the SIRA board. She was deputy chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority for a decade, and has served as president of the Council of the Actuaries Institute of Australia. She has also chaired committees of the International Actuarial Association. 

“Adding Mr Whitlam and Ms Rowell’s extensive experience to the board will bolster SIRA’s capability as a modern, person-centric and data-driven regulator,” CEO Mandy Young said.

Mr Whitlam led the process to have NRMA Insurance demutualised and listed on the stock exchange, and was formerly in an investment banking partnership with Malcolm Turnbull and former NSW premier Neville Wran.