| Asteron Life NZ

Ast Ret Unit Link Conservative Fund

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Ast Oceanic Investment Bond NZ Mana

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Ast Oceanic Inv Bond Cap Secure

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Ast Oceanic Inv Bond Cap Protected

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Grant Willis has over 30 years experience in the insurance industry, both Life and General Insurance. Grant’s previous role was the Executive General Manager/Head of Life for Asteron Life, having been employed by Suncorp in New Zealand since June 2011, in a range of leadership positions, including CFO of Asteron Life.

Prior to this, Grant held a range of leadership roles within finance, at AIG, ASB Bank, Sovereign and Colonial Fiji. Grant is a Director of the New Zealand Financial Services Council (FSC) and is member of the FSC Life Chief Executives Forum.

Grant holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) from the University of Auckland, was admitted as a Chartered Accountant (New Zealand) in 1988 and has been a member of the NZ Institute of Directors since 2015.

Catherine Henshall

Appointed Actuary

Catherine has been a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries since 2005 and possesses extensive experience as a senior lead Actuary with over 20 years in the life insurance industry. This includes more than 15 years of leadership in team management. She has held the technical lead role for a global Solvency II implementation and an Australasian implementation of IFRS17. Catherine served as the People and Technical Actuarial lead at Resolution Life Australasia and held the position of Appointed Actuary for Resolution Life New Zealand.

Claire Sutton

Executive Manager – Life Portfolio & New Business

Claire has extensive leadership and governance experience across New Zealand General Insurance, Life Insurance, Wealth Management and Not for Profit and has a deep passion for listening to customers and improving their experiences.

Currently the Executive Manager – Life Portfolio and New Business, Claire is accountable for the overall Asteron Life portfolio performance, including product, pricing, underwriting and customer onboarding across Asteron Life distribution channels. Prior to this role, Claire held executive roles overseas and within New Zealand including Customer Insights and Culture, Sales & Service Operations, Customer Advocacy, Organisational Change and Human Resources and Communications.

Kathie Tutty

Chief Underwriter

Kathie Tutty was appointed Chief Underwriter at Asteron Life, in May 2024. Kathie has nearly 30 years of experience in the life insurance industry, in senior underwriting and management roles at AIA and Partners Life, bringing extensive leadership and technical expertise, and a passion and commitment to deliver the best outcomes for customers.

As Chief Underwriter, Kathie is accountable for Asteron Life’s underwriting performance and strategy, underwriting rules engine and design, and Q,A.

Kristy Redfern

Chief Risk Officer & Executive Manager Legal

Kristy Redfern has over 20 years of experience in a variety of leadership, law, executive and governance roles. Kristy has worked within the financial services sector, sport, insurance and energy sectors across Australasia, United Kingdom and the Middle East. Kristy most recently led AIA’s Legal team. She is qualified to practice law in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and is a Chartered member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Kristy has also served as a Director on the Boards of Hockey New Zealand and the Financial Services Council New Zealand.

Scott Jensen

Acting Executive Manager, Claims and Customer Solutions

Scott has over 17 years experience in claims and customer services within the financial service sector both in Australia and New Zealand, having held various customer service roles as well as senior claims management and leadership roles at Suncorp Insurance Australia, Zurich Financial Services Australia and Asteron Life New Zealand. Scott was most recently the Asteron Life Claims Team Manager- Northern Region.

Stefan Azzopardi

Chief Financial Officer (Commencing March 2025)

Stefan is an accomplished senior executive spanning CEO, CFO and CRO roles, with deep domestic and international experience in the financial services, health and insurance sectors. Prior to joining Asteron Life, Stefan held various senior executive roles, including Chief Executive Officer of Donaldson Brown Insurance Brokers, Chief Finance and Risk Officer of Southern Cross Health Society, Head of Finance for Westpac New Zealand and Group Finance Officer at Southern Cross Group and a range of senior leadership roles at American Express across markets in the Asia Pacific region which included Japan and Australia.

Tony Arthur

Executive Manager – Life Distribution

Tony has over 20 years’ experience in executive leadership within the New Zealand financial services sector in both the banking and insurance markets, joining Asteron Life in March 2024. In his current role as Executive Manager – Life Distribution, Tony leads the teams responsible for distribution of insurance products through Asteron Life’s Financial Adviser, Affinity and Group risk channels.

Prior to Asteron Life, Tony was Chief Commercial Officer at Partners Life where he was responsible for the distribution, marketing, and product functions and before this, National Sales Director – Retail Banking with the Bank of New Zealand.

Asteron Life Board

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Asteron Life Board

Simon Tyler

Independent Director and Chair of Asteron Life Board

Simon has over 30 years experience in Financial Services in New Zealand, including previous Executive roles in Government Superannuation Fund Authority and the National Provident Fund, Reserve Bank of New Zealand & National Bank of New Zealand Group.

Simon is currently an Independent Director of Heartland Bank Limited, Director of NZ Bio Forestry Limited, Director of Palliser Estate Wines of Martinborough Limited and Independent Director of IHC.

Rachel Walsh

Independent Director and Chair of the Board Audit & Risk Committee

Rachel is an accomplished governor and executive leader with over 25 years of experience of commercial leadership and governance roles across global industry sectors including technology, finance, healthcare, infrastructure, education, professional services and manufacturing in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and the United States.

Rachel is currently a Director of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Director of IAG New Zealand and Director, Chair of Clearing Committee of NZX Limited and a Member of the External Reporting Advisory Panel (XRAP).

Julia Raue

Independent Director and Chair of the People & Remuneration Committee

Julia is a professional Independent Director with experience in New Zealand and Australia across the technology, retail, energy, logistics, insurance, health, television and media sectors. Julia has over 25 years experience in globally recognized Executive roles leading large complex organisations for some of New Zealand’s leading companies.

Julia is currently Chair of MOVe Logistics Limited, Independent Director of Southern Cross Travel Insurance Limited, Independent Director of Southern Cross Healthcare Limited, Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust, Trustee and Deputy Chair of NZ Global Women and Independent Director of South Cross Medical Care Society. Julia has previously served on the Boards of The Warehouse Group, Jad Software, Television New Zealand and Z Energy.

Keith Taylor

Director

30 years of experience as a senior executive and director of major companies in Australia and New Zealand with qualifications as an Actuary.

Involved in a broad range of sectors including insurance, infrastructure, industrial operations, funds management, property, and regulatory authorities in both the public and private sector.

Tim Tez

Director

Tim's extensive insurance industry background extends over 20 years in executive roles across distribution, strategy, M&A, reinsurance, product, pricing, marketing and government relations. Before joining Resolution Life, Tim was the CEO of Medical Indemnity, the largest medical indemnity insurer in Australia. Prior to Avante Mutual, Tim was the CEO of AIA Health Insurance, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA and successfully led significant insurance business acquisitions and integration programs in Australia and New Zealand.

Claim Enquiry Confirmation

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Claim Enquiry

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Use this form to tell us about your claim and we’ll get back to you within 5 working days. To get things started even sooner, call us on 0800 737 101 (Monday - Friday 8.30am-5pm). It helps to have your policy number handy, but it’s not essential.

Name

Date of birth

Are you the policy owner?

Yes

Unsure

Policy number

Claim details

So that we can help understand a bit about your claim, please write 1 – 2 sentences about what’s happened.

Phone Number

Preferred contact time

A case manager will get in touch with you in the next working day to help you with your claim.