Medical Assurance Society (MAS) has appointed actuary and company director Jennifer Lang to its board, effective April 1, 2026. She will also chair the organisation’s audit and risk committee as part of a planned board transition.
Lang will succeed director Lindsay Knowles as chair of the board’s audit and risk committee. Knowles is expected to step down from the board at the 2026 annual general meeting after a transition period. MAS chair Doug Hill said Lang’s professional background spans actuarial practice, financial management, and governance. “Jennifer is a highly respected actuary and director with extensive experience across insurance, financial services, and governance. She has held senior executive roles including chief financial officer and chief actuary at CommInsure and today serves on a number of boards where she chairs audit and risk committees. Her expertise in financial oversight, risk management, and strategy will be a valuable addition to the MAS board,” Hill said.
Lang currently serves as a nonexecutive director at Pacific Life Re Australia, Auto & General Insurance, and Medical Insurance Group Australia (MIGA). She has previously been a partner at Deloitte and KPMG and was named Actuary of the Year in 2020. Hill said the appointment comes as MAS continues to adjust its governance and risk settings in line with changes to its services and membership. “Jennifer’s actuarial background, combined with her extensive board experience, will strengthen MAS’s governance and risk management as we continue to evolve our services for members,” Hill said.
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Lang said she aims to contribute to the organisation’s purpose and strategy. “MAS has a long history of serving professionals and their communities, and I am pleased to be joining the board at a time when the organisation continues to grow and adapt. I look forward to working with the board and management to support MAS’s strategy and ensure the organisation continues to deliver strong outcomes for its members,” Lang said. Hill also acknowledged Knowles’ time on the board, noting his involvement in MAS’s governance and strategy over a number of years. Knowles will remain a director until the AGM to support the handover of audit and risk responsibilities.
In a separate appointment, MAS has named financial services executive Rebecca Sellers as chief risk and legal officer and a member of the executive leadership team, effective June 8, 2026. The role covers enterprise risk, legal, and governance functions across the organisation. MAS chief executive Jo McCauley said Sellers has worked in regulated financial services markets in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. “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.
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Sellers has held senior conduct and risk roles, including serving as chief conduct officer at Partners Life. More recently, she has worked as an independent risk and governance consultant, advising organisations such as Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Ando Insurance Group. Earlier in her career, she spent nine years at international law firm Clifford Chance, focusing on insurance, reinsurance, and financial services regulation, including work with the Lloyd’s of London market. She has also been an independent director of Pinnacle Life and is a member of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust audit, assurance, and risk committee.
Sellers said she plans to work with MAS to develop its risk and governance frameworks in the context of its member-owned structure. “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,” Sellers said. The two appointments illustrate ongoing emphasis on board-level audit and risk oversight and executive responsibility for conduct, legal, and compliance functions, as insurers respond to regulatory expectations and evolving risk profiles across their portfolios and markets.
