Jimmy Higgins

Jimmy was appointed Chief Executive Officer Suncorp New Zealand in October 2020 and is responsible for New Zealand’s second largest insurer through go-to-market brands Vero, and joint venture with the NZ Automobile Association, AA Insurance. 

Jimmy is also a Director of Vero Liability and AA Insurance and a Board member of the Insurance Council of NZ | Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ).

Jimmy joined the Suncorp Group in 2008 following 20 years in the professional services and law enforcement sectors in Australia. He leads with vision and brings strategic leadership to the insurance industry, focusing on improving customer outcomes, sustainability, disaster recovery and risk management. Prior to becoming CEO, Jimmy held senior executive roles at Suncorp New Zealand, including Executive General Manager Claims and Chief Financial Officer. 

As CEO, Jimmy has spearheaded the transformational change initiatives within Suncorp New Zealand, driving agility and innovation throughout the organisation. Within the industry, Jimmy has driven an advocacy agenda for improving the resilience and protection of New Zealand communities from future natural hazard events and has provided advice to Government and relevant authorities on the future of insurance. 

In 2021, in recognition of his advocacy and collaboration in driving New Zealand’s new Natural Disaster Response Model, Jimmy jointly won the Insurance Leader of the Year award at the New Zealand Insurance Awards (hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance). In 2024, he was invited to be the insurance expert on the New Zealand Government’s independent reference group to support the development of policy advice for the climate adaptation framework. 

Advocating for a more resilient New Zealand and for keeping insurance affordable for New Zealanders remains a key focus of Jimmy’s.