Jo McCauley
Chief Executive Officer (effective Monday 4 August 2025)
Jo joins MAS after serving as Chief Executive Officer at Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) since August 2020. Jo has a general insurance and consumer finance background leading marketing, sales and product teams in the UK and New Zealand. Recent experience includes leading the technology transformation program to support further growth at SCTI.
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), Ms Macfarlane, Mr O’Donovan, Dr Baddock, Mr Sutton.
Investment Committee
Mr O’Donovan (Chair), Dr Baddock, Mr Sutton, Dr Frizelle.
People & Remuneration Committee
Mr Sutton (Chair), Ms Macfarlane, Mr Merchant, Mr O'Donovan.
Nomination Committee
Dr Baddock (Chair), Mr Merchant, Dr Frizelle.
Information & Digital Technology Committee
Mr Merchant (Chair), Dr Hill, Ms Macfarlane, Mr Knowles, Mr Havercroft*.
*Mr Havercroft is an independent member of the Committee.
MAS Foundation
Ms Gill (Chair), Professor Harwood (Deputy Chair), Dr. Baddock, Tagaloa Dr Junior Ulu, Dr. Bryers, Professor Swinburn.
Brett Sutton
Chairperson
Appointed 28 September 2022
Brett is an experienced independent director. He is currently Chair of the Co-operative Bank, Stevenson Holdings, Mint Asset Management, Woolyarns Holdings and the Reddy Group Investment Committee. He is also a director of Datacom and H J Asmuss & Co, and a member of the Scott & Ricketts advisory board. His previous employment experience included senior investment roles at New Zealand Superannuation Fund and Todd Corporation.
Frank Frizelle
Board Member
Appointed 28 August 2013
ONZM, MBChB, MMedSc, FRACS, FACS, FASCRC, FNZMA, FAMA (hon) FRCSI(hon), FRCSEd (hon), MInstD
Frank is a surgeon working in Christchurch. He is Professor of Surgery University of Otago, Christchurch, and is Editor in Chief of the New Zealand Medical Journal and the Pacific Health Digest. He is President of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSSANZ), and is also a Patron of Canterbury Ostomy Society, Chair of the Christchurch Cancer Foundation, the ANZ Prostate Cancer Registry and Bowel Cancer Research Aotearoa, and Deputy Chair of the ANZ Bowel Cancer Registry. Frank is a medical advisor to Bowel Cancer New Zealand and chairs the clinical governance committee for Mobile Health Ltd and for Southern Cross hospital in Christchurch. He is also a director of Geordie Hill Station and Christchurch Colorectal Group. He is member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
Kate Baddock
Board Member
Appointed 1 April 2016
Kate is a Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners and a member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. She gained her medical degree at the University of Otago and currently works part time as a GP at Kawau Bay Health in Warkworth. Kate also has an MS in the Science of Healthcare Delivery and teaches undergraduate medical students, postgraduate doctors and registrars, in General Practice training programmes. Kate also mentors rural medical students through their training.
Doug Hill
Board Member
Appointed 29 August 2018
Dr Douglas Hill is a General Practitioner and the owner of Broadway Medical Centre, Dunedin. He is a GPSI in both orthopaedics and skin cancer surgery. Doug’s roles outside of General Practice are Chair of the 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 and a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
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 to 2016 and served as Chair/President from 2013 to 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. Currently, Steve is involved with the provision of AI/digital solutions, including to the international veterinary sector.
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 director to private companies, 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.
Lindsay Knowles
Board Member
Appointed 25 June 2014
Lindsay served on the MAS Board for 10 years until August 2023, including as Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee. He was reappointed on 28 March 2024 to fill a vacancy.
Lindsay is Managing Director of New Zealand import distribution business Acme Supplies Limited, and is an experienced independent director having served on several other boards in varied industries. His previous employment experience included 15 years as a corporate banker with ANZ Bank, specialising in capital markets debt raising and asset securitisation. Lindsay is a CA member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand, and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand.
Melissa Macfarlane
Board Member
Appointed 1 February 2025
Melissa brings extensive expertise in financial services, with significant leadership capabilities in strategy, risk, technology, transformation and change management. Melissa has held prominent roles at Westpac Bank including Chief Digital Officer, Head of Corporate Strategy, and COO of Wealth and Insurance. In this role, Melissa was responsible for overseeing all general and life insurance elements. Melissa also led the insurance sector for the Institutional Bank providing full banking services, including credit lines for most NZ insurers. In her digital-lead role, Melissa launched the travel insurance partnership and reviewed strategic options for the Life business. Melissa also serves as New Zealand Country Head for Constantinople, a retail and business banking platform offering a fully managed software and operations platform for banks to enhance customer experiences.