National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) President Dianne Phelan is set to step down from the position this month after completing a two-year term during a crucial time for the sector. 

Ms Phelan, who is Operations Manager for BJS Insurance, will remain on the NIBA board, with a new president to be announced after the annual general meeting (AGM) on February 23. A number of other changes will also take effect at the meeting. 

NIBA CEO Phil Kewin says Ms Phelan has overseen one of the most transformative periods in the organisation’s history.

“Her unwavering commitment to ensuring that NIBA and brokers are represented positively in the public arena as best as possible is invaluable,” Mr Kewin says in the latest edition of Insurance Adviser. 

“Importantly, the commitment of Di and the current NIBA board to proactively set the standards to ensure the longevity of our profession is undeniable.” 

In the past two years NIBA has launched its updated code of practice and has engaged with the Quality of Advice review, proposed by the Hayne royal commission. The review final report released yesterday has recommended retaining the general insurance exemption to the ban on conflicted remuneration. 

In other NIBA board changes, Queensland Divisional Director Heather Peirano will step down after six years on the board. 

New additions will include Lynette Walsh, representing Aon, who will fill a position vacated by Eric Harris who retired at the end of last year after serving as a director for 10 years, including a term as president from 2019 to 2021. 

Mr Kewin says an additional director will be appointed in a position representing listed networks. 

“This will expand the representation to add a representative from PSC, in addition to the existing Steadfast and Austbrokers representatives,” he says. 

Voting for the vacant Queensland and WA director roles will be concluded before the AGM and the full board will be announced at the end of the AGM and following board meeting.