Ando Insurance has announced a significant shift in its executive leadership, effective Oct. 1.
John Lyon, who has led the company as chief executive officer for the past 10 years, will step into the newly created role of executive chair of the Ando board.
In this position, Lyon will focus on long-term strategic initiatives and strengthening relationships with broker partners.
The company has named Therese Singleton as its incoming CEO.
Singleton joined Ando in March 2022 and has since overseen several operational functions and strategic projects. Her previous experience includes serving as CEO of Resolution Life New Zealand and chief claims officer for Resolution Life Australasia.
Singleton also brings governance experience as a non-executive director at NZ Financial Services Group and as a member of the Financial Advice Code Committee.
Lyon commented on the transition, saying: “She has my full support, along with the unanimous backing of our board and shareholders.”
In addition to the CEO transition, Ando has appointed Timothy Riding to the executive team as head of portfolio and underwriting.
Riding is a founding member of Ando and has held a range of leadership roles within the organisation, including head of underwriting strategy and head of personal lines portfolio.
His background also includes underwriting and account management roles at Lumley Insurance and Runacres Insurance.
“These changes reflect our confidence in Ando’s future and our commitment to delivering the very best for our broker partners and customers,” Lyon said, acknowledging the contributions of both Singleton and Riding to the company’s growth and operational resilience.
Coinciding with these leadership changes, Ando Insurance has announced an upgrade to its core digital infrastructure.
The company is in the process of implementing the latest version of the Pure Insurance digital platform, provided by insurtech firm SSP. This upgrade is part of Ando’s broader strategy to enhance its digital capabilities and improve service delivery across both personal and commercial insurance lines.
Ando first partnered with SSP in 2015, adopting the Pure Insurance platform to support policy administration and operational efficiency.
The new system release is expected to further streamline internal processes and help the company respond to evolving customer and partner requirements.
The company stated that investing in digital technology remains a priority as it seeks to strengthen its market position and deliver improved outcomes for brokers and policyholders in New Zealand.
