Fidelity Life announces retirement

One of Fidelity Life's leadership team is stepping down.

Thursday, December 20th 2018, 10:00PM

Neale Watling

The insurer said chief operating officer Neale Watling had decided he would transition to retirement from June 2019.

Chief executive Nadine Tereora said he had become a "much-loved legend" in the industry since he joined Fidelity Life in 2002.

It was considering whether there was a different role for him in the business, in a part-time capacity.

"We have plenty of time to work through recruiting for Neale’s replacement but rest assured Neale will work closely with whoever leads the operations team to ensure a smooth transition and handover."

Fidelity Life was Watling's first New Zealand employer after he moved from South Africa.

He started in underwriting before moving to become operations manager and then on to his current role in 2018.

"It goes without saying that Neale is universally loved by all at Fidelity Life and is extremely proud to be part of our team. His warmth, humour and genuine care for our people, customers and advisers have made him both a popular and influential leader. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Neale and have him as part of my Exec team. I’ve certainly learned a lot from him as well as enjoyed his company over the past two years," Tereora said.

Tags: Fidelity Life