Call for Nominations 2019

MAS is calling for nominations for candidates to fill two governance roles within the MAS Group. Both roles are for Practitioner Trustees of the MAS Members' Trust. Practitioner Trustees must be Full Members of MAS - that is, a Doctor, Dentist or Vet.

While Dr Frank Frizelle and Dr Kate Baddock, the two incumbents, are standing for re-appointment, any candidate who is validly nominated, and designated as eligible by the MAS Board may stand for election on a vote of Full Members at the 2019 AGM.

About the roles

MAS is a mutual group of companies, owned by its Members, offering financial products and services to Members including general insurance, life and disability insurance, KiwiSaver, retirement savings and financial advice.

MAS is governed by the Trustees of the MAS Members' Trust. Trustees also serve as directors of the parent company of the MAS Group, Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited.

Being a director of MAS means you are responsible for overseeing all of MAS' business affairs. You will help to ensure MAS achieves its strategic goals, achieves strong financial performance, and both meets and exceeds legal, regulatory, Member and community expectations.

Appointment as a Trustee requires a significant time investment. Trustees meet in Wellington at least 10 times a year, for up to five hours per meeting. At least an equivalent amount of time is required to prepare for those meetings.

Over time, Trustees are expected to develop and demonstrate the skills and experience required to be appointed to Board committees and the MAS Group subsidiary boards, including MAS' licensed insurance companies, which are regulated by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Demonstrating this level of competence requires a substantial investment in formal learning, which is delivered by MAS and MAS' external learning and development providers.

Nominations

The process for nominations is:

• MAS must receive valid notice in writing of the nomination by 5pm on Friday 29 June 2019.
• A valid nomination must be signed by two Full members, include the candidate's contact details, a description of the candidate and their experience, qualifications and competencies for the role of Practitioner Trustee.
• A Nominations Committee of the MAS Board will assess the eligibility of candidates who have submitted valid nominations. This may involve one or two interviews and further assessments as determined by the Nominations Committee.
• Full Members of MAS will vote on eligible candidates at this year's AGM on 28 August 2019.
  
  

Eligibility

To stand for election, Practitioner Trustee candidates must be designated 'eligible' after an assessment by the MAS Board. Eligibility requires the candidate to:

• meet the requirements of MAS' Fit and Proper Policy
• understand and support the principles of the MAS Group as a mutual business
• possess commercial acumen and strategic focus
• hold the ability to work in a team, and
• be connected to professional groups or occupations in the medical, dental and veterinary professions respectively.
  
  

The following skills and experience are desirable:

• digital innovation
• governance experience
• financial management
• insurance or managed funds industry experience
  
  

The MAS Board may set additional criteria for the particular role, and will advise the candidate and seek their input on whether they meet that criteria through the nomination process accordingly. MAS values diversity on its board.

Next steps

If you have the skills, experience, and drive to sit on the MAS Board, please email us for more information at MASagm@mas.co.nz.