Karen Te Maipi, former Head of Brand and Direct for Club Marine, Australia’s largest provider of recreational boat insurance, has been appointed company CEO.
Karen accepted the position following the elevation of former CEO, Simon McLean to the position of General Manager, Automotive and Marine with Club Marine’s parent company Allianz.
“I am extremely proud of what Club Marine has achieved over the last seven years, and know that I am leaving the business in good hands,” said Simon. “Since joining Club Marine in 2015, Karen has helped steer the company through an evolutionary growth period. Under her leadership, Brand and Direct has developed and launched a raft of initiatives, including the Member Rewards program, Club Marine TV, the Club Marine App, and a revamped website, as well as overseeing the company’s events and sponsorship programs.”
“Under Simon’s leadership, Club Marine has strengthened its position as market leader in the recreational marine insurance sector,” said Karen. “I intend to maintain and grow that position while continuing to enhance our member experience.
“We have a very dedicated and customer-centric team at Club Marine and I’ll be working hard to ensure the emphasis remains on our members, our partners and the many services we provide,” she said.
Prior to joining Club Marine, Karen worked in the insurance and financial services industries for 15 years.
Originally from New Zealand, Karen has travelled extensively and always enjoyed time spent on or near the water.
“My first sailing experience was our little yellow dinghy in Penang, I learned to windsurf in the Netherlands, and had a taste of water-skiing in Zimbabwe, where the local hippos and crocodiles helped encourage a good sense of balance and tenacity,” she said.
Married with two teenage children, Karen says Club Marine provides a unique and family-friendly work environment.
“I love being out on the water, so I’ve been fortunate with Club Marine to be able to combine work with play from time to time.”
Karen says that she looks forward to leading Club Marine through the many challenges that have emerged in the past 12 months, including the impacts of the pandemic and its effects on Australasia’s boating community.
“I’m fortunate to have a strong team that has navigated the difficult transition to working from home in recent times, and we remain absolutely committed to delivering the industry-leading service that has seen the company maintain its incredibly high Net Promoter scores year after year,” she said.
