Chris Hughes has been appointed CEO of Howden New Zealand, replacing Nigel Wallace.

Mr Wallace, who joined Howden in 2022 with the acquisition of Wallace McLean, will become chair.

“We have taken our time to find the right person and we are beyond thrilled to have Chris join Howden, bringing with him superb skills and experience,” Pacific CEO Matt Bacon said.

“Nigel steps into the role of chair so the business can continue to benefit from his valuable wisdom and guidance. These appointments will provide us with exceptional leadership, enhancing our client offering and reinforcing Howden’s commitment to the region.”

Mr Hughes, who takes the CEO role in November, spent 17 years at Rothbury Insurance Brokers, finishing four years ago to join IAG.

He was most recently EM of broker distribution and specialty at IAG brand NZI.

“I am very excited to ... help grow the Howden business here in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region,” Mr Hughes said. “I am especially looking forward to working with the very talented team and continuing to attract like-minded ‘people-first’ businesses, teams and individuals.”

Howden entered Australia in 2021 and expanded to New Zealand later that year with Rene Hattingh as CEO. She has led technical distribution since Mr Wallace was appointed to head the combined team.