Howden continues growth trajectory in the Pacific region

• Howden establishes New Zealand presence in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch

• René Hattingh appointed CEO of Howden Broking, New Zealand

• Cliff McCord appointed CEO of Howden Care, New Zealand 

• The new appointments indicative of Howden’s strong growth plans for the Pacific region

Howden, the international insurance broker, announces the launch of its New Zealand operations with Howden Broking and Howden Care, its local workplace claims management, rehabilitation and wellness business, reinforcing Howden’s ambitious growth plans in the region since opening its doors in Australia in March 2021.

René Hattingh has been appointed CEO of Howden Broking, New Zealand having joined from Donaldson Brown, where she was a Partner. Prior to this, she was Head of FinPro New Zealand at Marsh. René brings a people and client-first ethos, backed up by significant broking expertise and an entrepreneurial spirit. Upon her appointment, René notes: “I am extremely happy to join such a dynamic organisation that proudly puts its people first. I am delighted with the welcome I have received, and although I have only been on board for a few weeks, I already feel at home. The support and collaboration from our Australian and UK colleagues has been phenomenal, as has the reaction from clients, prospects and insurer partners. There is a tangible excitement and energy in the air - which is contagious for us all. I am looking forward to working with our hand-picked team here in New Zealand, to provide greater choice to prospective staff, clients, and underwriters.” 

The New Zealand operation is bolstered by the appointment of Cliff McCord as the CEO of Howden Care. Cliff is committed to placing the wellness of his clients and his team at the centre of his decision-making, which along with his extensive management experience will give Howden Care a strong foundation as he builds the operation out. Prior to joining Howden, Cliff spent over 20 years at Wellnz - a workplace claims management, rehabilitation and wellness business - where he progressed from case management through to ultimately becoming the CEO. During his six years as CEO, Wellnz experienced extremely strong growth.

Of his appointment to Howden Care New Zealand, Cliff says: “I am very excited to be joining Howden. I am first and foremost a people person, and from an operational perspective I believe that good people will attract good clients, leading to fruitful long-term relationships. My role as CEO of Howden Care is to make sure that our people have the tools and resources to deliver upon the promises we make to clients, and to steer them to a superior outcome. We endeavour to do this by building an organisation of professionalism and integrity, and ensuring that we are a fantastic workplace for all staff. In turn, this will without doubt lead to absolute excellence in client service.” 

Howden Pacific CEO, Matt Bacon, reflected upon the appointments of René and Cliff by reiterating: “the establishment of the Howden operations in New Zealand is another achievement in a very short time frame for our business in the region. Despite the current climate, Howden has gone from strength to strength in Australia, and we feel certain that our New Zealand team will deliver upon the same trajectory. The addition of industry leaders René and Cliff into the Howden family is a huge win for us. We look forward to delivering significant value to our clients through their proven, market-leading expertise.”