Shanks stays in industry but moves to Oz

Shanks has been named as the new chief executive for the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF).

ANZIIF provides education, training and development for people and organisations in the insurance and finance sector.

She will be relocating to Melbourne and will take over from outgoing chief executive Prue Willsford at the start of next year.

ANZIIF president Ben Bessell Shanks's tenure in politics and a range of industry associations will provide ANZIIF with the leadership and capability to
continue to grow and deliver the strategic objectives to its members in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Shanks says “we know insurance and finance play a pivotal role in people’s lives to ensure they have financial resilience and freedom at every life stage. ANZIIF plays an important role in ensuring that their members are inspired to continue on a journey of lifelong learning to stay relevant and up to date so they can continue to make a difference in people’s lives. I am looking forward to being part of this journey with the members.”

Shanks has spent much of her career in financial services. A Chartered Accountant by trade, she started her career in audit, spent time at Newton Fund Management in London and then joined Westpac Trust. She has owned her own small accountancy business for seven years, after which she was
the financial controller for the New Zealand National Party as well as an MP.

During her five years at Financial Advice NZ she has ensured research has been the basis for promoting the value of advice to consumers, enabling more New Zealanders, to seek quality financial advice to increase their financial health, wealth and wellbeing.