Accuro Health Insurance chief executive Geoff Annals has been elected chairman of the Health Funds Association (HFANZ), the industry organisation representing health insurers.

He takes over from Unimed chief executive Dermot Martin, who decided to step down at last week’s executive meeting after holding the position since December 2010. He also led the executive from 2000 to 2006. Christchurch-based Mr Martin will remain on the executive.

Mr Annals, of Wellington, has been a member of the HFANZ executive since becoming chief executive of Accuro in September 2013. He has been deputy chairman for the past year.

He has more than 30 years’ experience in the health sector. He began as a registered nurse at Waikato Hospital where he worked in a range of clinical and nursing and general management positions for 20 years. He was general manager of Waikato Hospital prior to his appointment as chief executive of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation in 2001, the position he held until his current appointment with Accuro.

Mr Annals was a director of Accuro from 2002 to 2013 and also served as its board chair.

For further information, contact:

Acting chief executive Chris Pentecost ph 04 499 0834 or 027 215 1003

Media advisor Andrea McKay ph 027 555 7783. 

This media release was directly sourced from the Health Funds Association of New Zealand website here.