Board of
Directors

Board of Directors

Our board brings together a diverse range of expertise across insurance, financial services and our core sectors.

Patricia Kelly

CHAIR OF BOARD & INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Patricia Kelly

CHAIR OF BOARD & INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Patricia joined the Ansvar Board in May 2014 and was appointed Chairperson of the Board and Nominations and Remuneration Committee in June 2018. She is a past President and Honorary Life Member of the Insurance Institute of Victoria and a former Director of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance. Patricia is also a non-executive Director of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) and a non-executive Director of the Legal Practitioners Liability Committee. Patricia is a member of the Audit Committee and Risk and Compliance Committee.

Jacinta Whyte

MC Inst. M, ACII, Charter Insurer NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jacinta Whyte

MC Inst. M, ACII, Charter Insurer NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jacinta was appointed to the Board in August 2013.

She is Deputy Group Chief Executive of Ecclesiastical Insurance Office and Benefact Group.

Jacinta joined the Benefact Group in 2003 as General Manager and Chief Agent of the Group’s Canadian business, where she turned around the performance of the Canadian operation, building a high performing team and a successful specialist insurance business.

Jacinta is responsible for the Group’s general insurance operations worldwide, covering the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Canada.

She commenced her career as an underwriter in 1974 with the Sun Alliance in Dublin and moved with them to Canada in 1988.

Over her Royal Sun Alliance career, she held a number of senior executive positions in Ireland and Canada.

Jacinta is a member of the Nominations & Remuneration Committee.

Mark Bennett

GROUP CHIEF ACTUARY OF THE BENEFACT GROUP

Mark Bennett

GROUP CHIEF ACTUARY OF THE BENEFACT GROUP

Mark was appointed to the Ansvar Board in March 2022. He is Group Chief Actuary of the Benefact Group (and the subsidiary Ecclesiastical Insurance Office), based in the UK, and is a member of the Group Management Board, reporting to the Group CEO.

Mark joined Benefact at an early stage in his career, during 2007, having previously worked for an actuarial consultancy firm in London.

Having qualified as an Actuary in 2009, and worked in many actuarial teams, Mark was appointed Group Chief Actuary in 2018, and now has responsibility for the Group Actuarial, Reinsurance and Data functions.

In his current role, Mark oversees the development and strategy of the actuarial department, supporting all businesses within the Benefact Group, worldwide.

Mark also chairs, and sits on, a number of key Boards and Committees across the Group, and is a member of the Ansvar Nominations & Remuneration Committee.

Warren Hutcheon

MBA, GAICD, Fellow ANZIIF (CIP) CEO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Warren Hutcheon

MBA, GAICD, Fellow ANZIIF (CIP) CEO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Warren joined Ansvar as the CEO in May 2014. Immediately prior to joining Ansvar he was the CEO of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, the risk and insurance advisor to the Victorian Government, where he was responsible for a successful and high profile cultural and performance turnaround. With over 30 years’ experience in risk and insurance, Warren has held senior positions in underwriting, claims, operational management, strategy and organisational change. Warren has been active in supporting the Australian insurance industry for many years, and is currently Chair of the ANZIIF General Insurance Faculty Advisory Board. He is also on the Board of the Victorian Building Authority and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. Warren is actively involved in the community as a Board member of Bayside Church Inc, Bayside Community Care and other associated entities.

Michael Grantham

MBA, FAICD INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Michael Grantham

MBA, FAICD INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Michael joined the Ansvar Board in March 2016. He has over 30 years’ experience as an information and communications technology professional and currently works as a Business Development Manager specialising in next generation transformation for CSC Australia. He is a former Director of CGU Australia Limited, CGU Insurance Limited and Insurance Network Services. He has held a number of Chief Information Officer positions including at CGU Insurance, Australian Customs and Border Protection and Tenix. Michael is a member of the Audit Committee, Nominations and Remuneration Committee and Risk and Compliance Committee. Michael is also the inaugural Chairman of the Ansvar Risk Management Services Pty Limited Board established in January 2018.

Helen Thornton

BEc, CA, GAICD INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Helen Thornton

BEc, CA, GAICD INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Helen joined the Ansvar Board in May 2018 and was appointed Chairperson of the Audit Committee and Risk and Compliance Committee in June 2018.

She has been a non-executive Director for over 20 years and is currently Deputy Chair of Treasury Corporation of Victoria and a Director of McPhersons Ltd, Yarra Valley Water, Legal Practitioners Liability Committee and ISPT Pty Ltd.

Helen has over 30 years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant and has held senior roles in Deloitte, KPMG, BHP Ltd and BlueScope Steel Ltd.

Helen brings extensive experience in finance, audit, governance and risk management.

Helen is a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

David Lambert

BA (Hons)/LLB INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

David Lambert

BA (Hons)/LLB INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

David joined the Ansvar Board in July 2018. He is a seasoned executive, director and commercial lawyer with diverse international experience.

David has held senior risk, strategy and executive director level roles across a range of businesses and law firms including Blackmagic Design, Energy Australia, National Foods, Clifford Chance and Ashton Mining.

David is a member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and chairs the Strategic Review Committee.