Tributes have been paid to Ace Insurance Australia Chairman Michael Summers, who died earlier this month.

Mr Summers served the insurance industry for four decades as an accountant and CFO. He was also an independent director of the Combined Life Insurance Company of Australia.

Ace Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Chief Risk Officer Neil Spettigue says he met Mr Summers in 1984, when American Re occupied the same building as Ace in Sydney.

The two later became fellow board members at Ace.

“Besides being the inquisitive director, he was a person who would call a spade a spade,” Mr Spettigue said.

The two men also worked together at the Australian Association of Insurance Accountants (AAIA), a voluntary, non-profit organisation promoting the profession. Mr Summers became a director of the association and, after retirement, CEO.

“It was Michael’s vision, tireless efforts and tenacity that saw him and a group of other insurance accountants build the AAIA into a vibrant professional development and networking group,” Mr Spettigue said.