MAS has appointed two internal leaders to its executive leadership team, naming Matthew Ineson (pictured left) chief transformation officer and Hayden Saunders (picture right) chief people officer, with both appointments effective April 7, 2026.
The appointments come as the member-based insurer continues a business and digital transformation program and adjusts its operating model in the New Zealand market. MAS chief executive officer Jo McCauley said the changes reflect the organisation’s focus on building leadership capability from within. “Bringing strong talent through the organisation is a priority for MAS and a key part of our broader investment in capability. Matthew and Hayden both bring a blend of deep institutional and domain knowledge and proven leadership, and their appointments ensure we are well positioned to deliver strongly for our members now and into the future,” McCauley said.
Ineson has been involved in MAS’s transformation work, particularly in programme delivery and organisational change. As chief transformation officer, he will oversee execution of the transformation programme and manage major initiatives affecting systems, processes, and member-facing services. “I’m excited to step into this role at such an important point for MAS. Across the board, MAS is strengthening how we serve our members; I’m looking forward to being part of this and working with the executive and wider teams to deliver meaningful, lasting change,” Ineson said.
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Saunders will lead the people and capability function, with responsibility for workforce strategy, culture, and core HR operations. The role includes recruitment, staff development, and retention to support MAS’s strategic and regulatory obligations. “MAS has a strong people-first culture, and I’m proud to be part of shaping what comes next. We have a real opportunity to build capability, support our people to thrive, and ensure we are set up to deliver on our ambitions,” Saunders said.
McCauley said Ineson and Saunders will be central to how MAS runs its transformation and digital programmes and how those programmes are embedded across the organisation. “We are at a crucial junction in our journey, with our digital modernisation programme now well underway. Having leaders like Matthew and Hayden join the executive brings the right mix of continuity, insight, and momentum as we move forward,” she said.
At board level, MAS has appointed actuary and company director Jennifer Lang as a nonexecutive director, effective April 1, 2026. She will chair the board’s audit and risk committee, succeeding long-serving director Lindsay Knowles, who is expected to step down from the board by the 2026 annual general meeting. Lang currently serves as a nonexecutive director at Pacific Life Re Australia, Auto & General Insurance, and Medical Insurance Group Australia, and previously was a partner at Deloitte and KPMG. She was named Actuary of the Year in 2020.
Lang said she aims to contribute to MAS’s stated purpose and long-term settings. “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,” she said.
MAS is also reshaping its executive coverage of risk and legal functions with the appointment of Rebecca Sellers as chief risk and legal officer and a member of the executive leadership team, effective June 8, 2026. Sellers has worked across legal, risk, and governance roles in the UK and New Zealand financial services sectors. Sellers has held senior leadership and advisory positions across the sector, including as chief conduct officer at Partners Life.
More recently, she has worked as an independent risk and governance consultant, with clients including Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Ando Insurance Group. Earlier in her career, Sellers spent nine years at international law firm Clifford Chance, focusing on insurance, reinsurance, and financial services regulation and working with the Lloyd’s of London market. She has served as an independent director of Pinnacle Life and is a member of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Audit, Assurance, and Risk Committee.
Sellers said she intends to work with MAS to further develop its risk and governance approach. “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.
