The chief information officer of QBE Insurance Group Ltd. has accepted redundancy as part of the insurer's efforts to combine its technology and transformation teams into a single unit under its Australian and New Zealand division.
QBE said March 19 that a new chief operations office will oversee the merged business unit. As a result, Chief Information Officer Tony Forward agreed to step down from his role, with Val Matthews taking over in an acting capacity while the search for a new chief information technology officer is being conducted.
In addition, Steve Raynor was named interim COO until the group recruits a candidate to fill the expanded role.
QBE is also setting up a strategy team, which will report to the chief financial office, to develop a long-term plan for the business. Meanwhile, New Zealand will be repositioned as a separate business operation. Bill Donavan, general manager for New Zealand, will take overall responsibility for the operations of the unit.
The changes take effect immediately, with the exception of Matthews, who will assume the interim chief information officer post March 29.
