NIBA names new president, appoints PSC CEO to board

Gary Okely has been appointed President of the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA), while PSC Insurance Group CEO David Hosking joined the board in an additional “listed network” position.

Mr Hosking’s new role sits alongside Austbrokers and Steadfast representatives Angie Zissis and Nick Cook. Mr Cook is now also Vice President, it was announced, after Mr Okely vacated that role.

Outgoing President Dianne Phelan, who remains on the NIBA board as a director, said Mr Okely had “great ideas to help our industry progress”.

“We’ve achieved a lot in the past few years and we need to continue the work,” she said.

Mr Okely said NIBA had created a “great foundation with the industry and governments,” and the Hayne Royal Commission, NIBA’s Insurance Brokers Code of Practice and the Quality of Advice Review had brought “the three pillars of NIBA’s strategy around representation, professionalism and community to the fore”.

“That has been reflected in the very positive outcomes for brokers in Michelle Levy’s report,” Mr Okely said.

“We do a lot of excellent work in advocacy … The next stage of this that I’d like to see is for NIBA to become a trusted adviser to government from a client perspective. This will see governments reach out to NIBA more to work together.”

Challenges around affordability and availability of insurance are an opportunity for the broking industry to work with government and support vulnerable communities, he says.

“We need to work towards an improved focus on mitigation rather than recovery. Helping guide the government on longer-term investments will be an important way we can deliver better outcomes for our clients.”

NIBA also announced Sydney-based Aon National Client Director Lynette Walsh was appointed International Director.

She replaces Eric Harris, who retired from the board late last year and was thanked for his “significant contribution” over a decade, including serving as President from 2019 to 2021.

Brisbane-based Capital Innovation Insurance Group Director Steven Hill took the role of Queensland Divisional Director while Perth-based Lockton-Zenith Health & Community Services Senior Account Manager Jordyn Gilbert became WA Divisional Director.

Mr Okely said he was pleased the NIBA Convention would be held in person on the Gold Coast in October.

“Brokers are relationship driven, social people who thrive on continual learning and collaboration,” he said. “This is an industry that thrives on networking and personal development.”