The chairman of Southern Cross, Hylton LeGrice, has signalled that he plans to step down later this year, after 18 years as director and seven as chairman.
But in view of the group's current search for a new chief executive, Dr LeGrice said he had brought his plans forward.
"I felt that it was appropriate for me to step aside now, so that the new appointee can develop a relationship with the incoming chairman from day one," he says.
The new chairman is Bryan Kensington, a director and chairman of Southern Cross' audit committee which oversaw the insurer's efforts to reduce its controversial claims backlog.
