IAG announces new chief customer and marketing officer
Insurance group IAG has appointed Meta’s Michelle Klein as its new chief customer and marketing officer, 10 months after Brent Smart exited the business to take up the CMO role at Telstra.
Klein will take over from Zara Curtis, who has been acting in the CMO role since October.
The newly created role sees Klein take on the leadership of the newly formed customer experience and marketing division at IAG, commencing later this month.
Klein will return to Australia from the US after a decade at Meta, where she was most recently vice president of global business and product marketing.
Her career extends 25 years and five continents, including roles at Diego, British Airways, Orient Express and Armani.
Klein will be responsible for the IAG marketing and brand portfolio strategy for all brands across IAG’s Direct and Intermediated Insurance divisions, including NRMA Insurance, ROLLiN’, CGU and WFI brands. With an expanded marketing remit, Klien will utilise deep customer and community insights and leverage brand strengths to improve the overall customer experience.
IAG Direct Insurance Australia group executive Julie Batch said: “Michelle is renowned internationally for her innovative solutions to redefining the role of brands to deliver business results.
“It is a testament to the strength of IAG and our portfolio of brands to attract someone of Michelle’s calibre to our team. She brings to the role extensive experience in B2B and B2C marketing, customer experience, and product development, which will be invaluable in supporting the delivery of our strategy.”
Of her appointment, Klein commented: “After spending almost a decade of my career focused on building community and bringing people closer together with Meta, I’m looking forward to this next chapter in helping make the world a safer place with IAG.
“Through its iconic and trusted brands, IAG helps millions of people across Australia protect what matters most, providing invaluable safety and peace of mind. This decade must be transformational – one where we focus on a safer future and IAG’s people have worked tirelessly to provide support to people during crises. I’m so excited to be a part of this important industry and to use my Silicon Valley experience to drive transformation through insights and technology.”
Batch continued: “I want to thank Zara Curtis who was Acting Chief Marketing Officer since September last year. Under her leadership, we launched the new NRMA Insurance brand platform, ‘Until Then’, and delivered our inaugural Cricket Australia partnership. Zara will continue to bring her creativity and customer engagement expertise to the marketing leadership team with an expanded remit.”
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