Adviser council.
Supporting us to listen, act and develop initiatives where we can grow together.
Key purpose:
The Adviser council was established in 2022 to bring to life our commitment to listening and acting with ways to continue to serve you, our adviser community. By bringing together the know-how and vast experiences of our trusted Adviser council members, we can gather feedback and insights that positively influence our future growth together.
The council meets quarterly to:
- Give valuable, objective feedback on new adviser and customer initiatives.
- Collaborate to drive positive change for the industry.
- Share and feedback on market and industry trends, opportunities and issues.
- Provide fresh insights, ideas and views.
Applications now open for Adviser council 2026.
We’re refreshing the Adviser council for 2026 and are now inviting applications from advisers who can bring specialist insight and practical experience to support our commitment to listening, acting and growing together.
This year, we’re appointing 3 new advisers whose expertise aligns strongly with the following areas:
Experienced in digital adoption, workflow efficiency, automation, data or AI – and able to translate emerging tools into practical value for customers and advisers.
Experienced in scaling sustainably, developing new propositions or entering new markets, bringing strong commercial judgement and insight into growth opportunities.
Deep understanding of New Zealand’s diverse communities, cultural dynamics and access barriers, providing perspectives that help deliver more equitable outcomes.
This is a 2-year appointment with quarterly meetings based in Auckland (reasonable travel covered).
Applications close 27-February, with selections to be revealed shortly afterwards.
If you align with one of these profiles and want to contribute to the future direction of advice, we’d love to hear from you.
Objectives of the Adviser council.
The purpose of the Adviser council is to hear insightful and relevant feedback and respond with actions that drive our better outcomes for our Adviser community and their customers. The council aims to create greater understanding and collaboration to enable future growth for our industry with 3 key pillars.
Connect with the customer.
Provide insights from customer conversations and experiences to highlight both strengths and weaknesses in the life insurance value proposition and act accordlingly.
Offer objective feedback on proposed initiatives affecting customers before they are invested in or launched to ensure we are providing the right products, value and ease.
Act as a voice for life insurance customers in New Zealand and reflect their needs.
Influence for good.
Provide insights and views on emerging or unfamiliar issues within the industry or wider, concerning customers.
Contribute perspectives on big picture topics including strategic issues, regulatory themes and changes, industry developments, and market trends.
Share in a dialogue around industry change, how Fidelity Life and advisers might jointly support a vibrant, sustainable advice community.
Strength to strength.
Provide constructive feedback on key areas of the Fidelity Life proposition, its appeal and relevance to advisers and their customers.
Participate in pilot initiatives to pressure test suitability and drive positive change for our advisers and their customers.
Provide marketplace feedback on initiatives launched by other NZ life insurance companies and adjacent financial services organisations.
Fresh new faces on our council for 2025.
With the objectives of the council at heart, we are pleased to announce we have 5 new council members joining us for the 2025-2026 tenure. These new faces bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives, ensuring we continue to evolve and meet the needs of our adviser community.
Current Adviser council members 2025-2026.
Andrea Reid
Cory Bennett
David Jochem
James Pearson
Sarah Hunger
Adviser council members 2022-2025.
Amanda Haskins
Dean Logan
Josh Cuttance
Karl Moran
Nick Wells
Why a 2-year tenure and what is the criteria?
- The rotation and selection of new members upholds our commitment to listening to you and ensuring we are always relevant.
- The 2-year duration balances the opportunity for members to understand the council's landscape, see the impact of their feedback, and build rapport with other council members while ensuring fresh perspectives from the market.
- By adding 5 new members each year, we maintain continuity while also bringing in new ideas consistently.
- The selection process focusses on relevant experience and skills, the motivation for wanting to join the council, and views on how the council can enhance customer outcomes.
- We also ensure a mix of members that reflect the diversity of the market and considers the ability of members to attend sessions regularly.
Previous Adviser council members 2022-2024.
Johny Winstone
Emma Hunter
Mark Breen
Yang Gu
