Zurich Australia appoints Scott Watters as CIO

Financial services firm Zurich Australia has appointed Scott Watters as its new CIO following the internal promotion of Bobby Lehane to chief operating officer of the company’s Asia Pacific unit.

Watters succeeds Lehane, who has been in the role since November 2007, and will be responsible for the business change and IT functions across the company’s General Insurance and Life Investments units while continuing to work on Zurich’s technical capabilities.

“Scott has been instrumental in leading the delivery of an ambitious portfolio of work to underpin the key business strategies and will continue to build on that platform of initiatives,” Lehane said.

Watters joined the company in 2008 as head of strategic project development, while in 2010 management of the Application Service Provision team was added to his responsibilities.

Prior to joining the company, Watters was the head of fixed income, currency and commodities technology at Citi, before which he was software development manager at CBA global markets.

Zurich Australia chief executive, Shane Doyle, said the decision to make an internal appointment reinforces the company’s plan to provide opportunities to its staff.