Medical Assurance Society (MAS) has appointed Rebecca Sellers (pictured) as its chief risk and legal officer, the financial services organisation announced on Monday.
Sellers, who has expertise in legal, risk, and governance across the United Kingdom and New Zealand, will join the MAS executive leadership team on June 8.
MAS chief executive Jo McCauley said the appointment would strengthen the organisation’s capabilities in regulated environments.
“Rebecca has built an impressive career advising and leading financial services organisations through complex regulatory, risk, and governance challenges. She brings a strategic perspective, deep technical expertise, and a proven ability to strengthen risk frameworks and organisational capability,” McCauley said.
Sellers previously served as chief conduct officer at Partners Life before moving into independent consultancy, advising organisations including Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Ando Insurance Group. She also spent nine years at international law firm Clifford Chance, specialising in insurance, reinsurance, and financial services regulation, including work with the Lloyd’s of London market.
Most recently, she served as an independent director of Pinnacle Life and sits on the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Audit, Assurance and Risk Committee.
Sellers said she had long held MAS in high regard. “MAS has a long-standing reputation for acting in the interests of its Members and maintaining a strong values-driven culture. I have long admired MAS and the role it plays supporting professionals and their communities. I’m excited to join the team and support the organisation in building a robust risk and governance framework that delivers sustainable growth and strong outcomes for members,” she said.
The appointment comes amid substantial regulatory change in New Zealand’s insurance sector. The Conduct of Financial Institutions regime came into full force on March 31, 2025, placing insurers under a new set of conduct obligations by the Financial Markets Authority.
Separately, a major review of the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2010 is under way, with Cabinet agreeing in August 2025 to a suite of policy proposals that would broaden the Reserve Bank’s prudential oversight and extend “fit and proper” requirements to roles including the chief risk officer. An exposure draft on the proposed IPSA amendments is expected in early 2026, with a Bill anticipated to be introduced to Parliament by mid‑2026.
