AIA NZ has appointed Elyse Sullivan (pictured) as its new chief underwriter, effective Oct. 6.
Sullivan’s appointment comes as Stephen Potter steps down from the position after more than six years in the role.
Sullivan joins AIA NZ with extensive experience in the life insurance sector, having worked in various underwriting and leadership roles over the past decade.
Before joining AIA, she was underwriting manager at Chubb Life, where she led a team of underwriters and was involved in developing underwriting strategies and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
Her career also includes roles at Sovereign, now part of AIA Group, and ASB, where she gained expertise in customer service and technical underwriting.
In her new capacity, Sullivan will oversee AIA NZ’s underwriting strategy and operations.
She will collaborate with teams across the business to further develop underwriting capabilities, strengthen risk management frameworks, and align the function with the company’s broader objectives.
Sullivan said she looks forward to starting with AIA NZ during what is a period of significant change for the insurance sector.
“I’ve long admired AIA’s purpose-led approach and its commitment to helping New Zealanders live healthier, longer, better lives – and this is also something of a homecoming for me given my time at Sovereign,” she said. “I look forward to working with the talented underwriting team to continue building a customer-first, high-performing environment that supports sustainable growth and innovation.”
Maddie Sherlock, chief customer officer at AIA NZ, said Sullivan’s combination of strategic and practical underwriting experience would be instrumental in advancing the company’s underwriting function.
“Her leadership will be key to evolving our underwriting function in line with our customer-first approach and growth ambitions,” Sherlock said.
Potter, who has served as chief underwriter since January 2019, announced his departure in August.
Potter’s career in personal insurance underwriting spans over 30 years, including leadership roles at Sovereign, AMP, and Fidelity Life. He first joined Sovereign in 1989 and has held a range of underwriting and management positions.
In a public statement, Potter reflected on his time at AIA NZ, expressing gratitude for the experiences and connections made during his tenure.
“The time felt right to hang up the lanyard and take a bit of a breather. I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences, the people, and the purpose-driven work we did together,” he said.
AIA NZ acknowledged Potter’s contributions, with Sherlock noting that he leaves behind a lasting impact on the company’s underwriting operations.
