Black and white portrait of Suzanne Wolton

Suzanne Wolton

Chief Executive

After 3 years as a MAS Board member, Suzanne has taken on the role of CEO.

Suzanne is a professional director, senior leader, speaker, chartered accountant, qualified hypnotherapist and financial services expert. She has more than 25 years' experience as a board member and senior executive in some of New Zealand's and the UK's leading organisations. 

The Board

A board of directors governs Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited. Their role is to ensure that high quality service and sound business practice are at the forefront of every business decision, allowing MAS’ relationship with its Members to grow and prosper. The board approves MAS’ strategic objectives, annual budgets and overall framework within which business is conducted.

The same board members also act as directors for most of MAS’ subsidiary companies.

 

Membership of Board Committees

Audit & Risk Committee

Mr Knowles (Chair), Mr O’Donovan, Dr Baddock, Mr Sutton.

Investment Committee

Mr O’Donovan (Chair), Mr Sutton, Dr Frizelle.

People & Remuneration Committee

Mr Sutton (Chair), Mr Merchant, Dr Hill, Mr O'Donovan.

Nomination Committee

Dr Baddock (Chair), Mr Merchant, Dr Frizelle.

Information & Digital Technology Committee

Mr Merchant (Chair), Dr Hill, Mr Knowles, Mr Clarke*.

*Mr Clarke is an independent member of the Committee.

MAS Foundation

Ms Gill (Chair), Dr Baddock.

 

Black and white portrait of Brett Sutton

Brett Sutton

Chairperson

Appointed 28 September, 2022

Brett is an experienced independent director. He is currently Chair of the Stevenson Group and Mint Asset Management, and Deputy Chair of the Co-Operative Bank. His previous employment experience included senior investment roles at the NZ Superannuation Fund and the Todd Corporation. 

Black and white portrait of Frank Frizelle

Frank Frizelle

Board Member

Appointed 28 August, 2013

Frank is Professor of Colorectal Surgery Christchurch Hospital and Academic Head of Department of Surgery at Otago University. He is a Patron of Canterbury Ostomy Society and serves as a Trustee for the Cotter Medical History, the Canterbury Charity Hospital and the Bowel and Liver trusts. Frank is also a director of Geordie Hill Station, Christchurch Colorectal and Southern Endoscopy which is a joint venture with Southern Cross Health Care.

Portrait of Kate Baddock

Kate Baddock

Board Member

Appointed 1 April, 2016

Dr Kate Baddock is Chair of the New Zealand Medical Association, a Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners, and a member of both the Institute of Directors and Auckland Medicolegal Society. She gained her medical degree at the University of Otago and currently works as a GP and partner at Kawau Bay Health in Warkworth. She teaches undergraduate medical students, postgraduate doctors, and registrars in General Practice training programmes.

Black and white portrait of Doug Hill

Doug Hill

Board Member

Appointed 29 August, 2018

Dr Douglas Hill is a General Practitioner and a Director of Broadway Medical Centre, Dunedin. He has a special interest in GPSI medicine in dual roles of Orthopaedics and skin cancer surgery.

Doug’s roles outside of General Practice are Chair of Columba College Board of Proprietors and Chair of Wellsouth Primary Health Network. He is a member of the NZ Advisory Board of the Skin Cancer College of Australasia. He is also a chartered fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors. Doug is a previous winner of The Otago Institute of Directors Aspiring Director Award.

Steve Merchant.png

Steve Merchant

Board Member

Appointed 26 August, 2020

Steve is a veterinarian and director of the NZ SPCA, and has previously held numerous directorships, particularly in the veterinary profession. He was a Board member of the NZ Veterinary Association from 2005-2016, and served as Chair/President from 2013-2015. On stepping down from these roles, he was recognised with the NZVA Outstanding Service Award. Previously, he served as director and CEO of Pet Doctors Group, New Zealand's largest group of companion animal veterinary clinics. As a co-founder, he led the business through to the Group's sale to an ASX-listed company in 2018. 

Black and white portrait of Brendan O’Donovan

Brendan O’Donovan

Board Member

Appointed 1 July, 2021

Brendan has extensive experience in the financial services industry, spending more than a dozen years as a Chief Economist at several New Zealand banks and chairing Investment Committees. Through his service as Chairman of The Co-operative Bank and Chairman of Co-operative Life, he brings a wealth of governance experience. He has also been a Licensed Independent Trustee, as well as Specialist Advisor to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee. He has been involved with MAS in a governance capacity since 2012 as a Licensed Independent Trustee, and more recently as Chair of the Investment Committee.

Portrait of Lindsay Knowles

Lindsay Knowles

Board Member

Appointed 25 June, 2014

Lindsay is a shareholder and executive director in a family business, ACME Supplies Limited – a national wholesaler of office products and hand tools. He is also a director of Cranford Hospice Trustee Limited and the chairman of Howick Baptist Healthcare Limited. Lindsay has served on the boards of HBS Bank, Presbytarian Support East Coast, Te Mata School and GPH Society (a not for profit charitable trust import distribution venture).

Lindsay has 15 years experience as a corporate banker with ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited, specialising in debt raising in the capital markets.