Avant Insurance Board

The primary function of the Avant Insurance Board is to focus on the insurance business which offers insurance products to members of Avant Mutual Group Limited (Avant). Avant Insurance Limited is the licensed insurer of Avant. The Avant Insurance Board comprises a highly experienced team of directors with broad experience in the insurance and financial services sectors. 

The directors on the Insurance Board are:

BCom, MBL, PMD

Mr Polson has an extensive background in banking, insurance and financial services. He was formerly Managing Director of Colonial First State Investments, and with the Commonwealth Bank Group as the Group Executive responsible for all investment and insurance services . Mr Polson is the Chair of IDP Education Pty Limited and the Chairman of Very Special Kids. He was formerly Chair of the Board of Challenger Financial Services Group Limited and Challenger Life Limited.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited, Chair of Avant Insurance Limited, Group Investment Committee and the New Ventures Advisory Committee and a member of the Group Remuneration Committee and the Group Nominations Committee.

BSc, FIA, FIAA, FSA, FASFA

Mr Beck is an actuary by profession and has over 40 years’ experience in banking, insurance, superannuation and investments working in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. He was formerly the CEO of Pillar Administration, CEO of CommInsure, and Group General Manager, Strategic Development and Group Appointed Actuary at Colonial.

Appointments: Director Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited and Avant Insurance Limited, Chair of The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Ltd, Group Risk Committee and Group Audit Committee and a member of The Doctors’ Health Fund Remuneration Committee and Group Investment Committee.

BEc, MBA, FIAA, GAICD
Mr Bofinger is an actuary with over 30 years’ experience in life insurance, superannuation and investments, and he has expertise in risk management, capital management and finance. He is currently Chief Risk Officer of Challenger Limited and was previously the Appointed Actuary and Chief Financial Officer of Challenger Life Company Limited. Prior to that Mr Bofinger held a range of executive positions in direct insurance, reinsurance and consulting.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Group Holdings Limited, Avant Insurance Limited and Chair of The Doctors’ Health Fund Risk Committee and The Doctors’ Health Fund Audit Committee and a member of the Group Audit Committee and Group Risk Committee.

BA (Hons), MBA, GAICD
Ms Cobb has a background in consumer finance, management consulting and aviation in Australia and Asia. Ms Cobb was formerly the Managing Director of GE Consumer Finance Ltd, responsible for Australian operations serving 3 million customers with lending and insurance products. Ms Cobb is currently a Non-Executive Director on Commonwealth Securities Limited and Independent Reserve Pty Limited boards and a member of Scale Investors, a network that invests in and empowers women entrepreneurs, and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Group Holdings Limited, Avant Insurance Limited and The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited, and a member of the Group Risk Committee and Group Audit Committee.

MBA
Mr Cornish has more than 40 years’ experience in the insurance industry, including with the RBS Group as Managing Director, NIG Insurance (UK) and CEO of Direct Line Insurance International, and Zurich Insurance. He has extensive experience as a director for Green Flag Group Limited, National Westminster Insurance Services Limited, Royal Bank Insurance Service Limited, Direct Line Insurance and the Insurance Council of Australia. Prior to retiring from executive life in June 2016, Mr Cornish was Chief Operations Officer at IAG Group and prior to that was Chief Executive Officer, Personal Insurance, IAG from 2014. In that role, he was appointed Chair and President of the Insurance Council of Australia. Mr Cornish has also held the position of Chief Executive Officer, Direct Insurance, IAG from 2009 2014. Mr Cornish is currently Chair of ANCAP and a member of the APAC Advisory Council to EXL Service plc Ltd


Appointments: Director of Avant Group Holdings Limited and Avant Insurance Limited.

MBBS, FRANZCOG, GAICD

Dr Dudley is a VMO obstetrician and gynaecologist, with over 35 years clinical experience working in NSW Health across tertiary public and private hospitals. Dr Dudley was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2021 for services to obstetrics and gynaecology. Dr Dudley has significant governance experience at local hospital level and was a longstanding and highly respected member of Avant’s NSW Medical Experts Committee. Dr Dudley is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Dr Dudley is also an appointed Director of South East Sydney Local Health District.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited and Avant Insurance Limited and a member of the Group Investment Committee, Group Audit Committee and Group Risk Committee.

BEc, BSc, AIAA, MBA, GAICD
Mrs Fenech is the Group CEO and Managing Director of the Avant Mutual Group. Before joining Avant in 2019 as the CEO, Medical Indemnity, Mrs Fenech held various senior roles within the financial services industry, including the CEO of SuperConcepts and Executive General Manager of Customer, Product and Pricing at Suncorp. Mrs Fenech is an associate member of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Appointments:  Group CEO and Managing Director of Avant Mutual Group, Director Avant Insurance Limited and The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited.

ANZIIF (Snr Assoc.), CIP, FCII, BSc (Econ), GAICD

Mr West has over 35 years’ experience in insurance, with a particular focus on risk pricing and underwriting, reinsurance, claims and distribution management in both general insurance and life insurance. Mr West has worked in the UK, India and Australia, including as CEO of Vero Insurance and CGU Insurance. Mr West is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. He is the Chair of Challenger Life Company Limited and a Non-Executive Director of Helia Group Limited and Suncorp Group Limited.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited, Avant Insurance Limited, The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited, Chair of the Group Remuneration Committee and The Doctors’ Health Fund Remuneration Committee and a member of the Group Nominations Committee.

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NSW State Office AddressLevel 6, Darling Park 3, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone 02 9260 9000 | Facsimile 02 9261 2921

Mailing addressPO Box 746 Queen Victoria Building NSW 1230

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In the spirit of reconciliation Avant acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

IMPORTANT: Professional indemnity insurance and the Practice Medical Indemnity Policy available from Avant Mutual Group Limited ABN 58 123 154 898 (Avant Mutual) are issued by Avant Insurance Limited, ABN 82 003 707 471, AFSL 238 765 (Avant). Avant Cyber Insurance cover is available to eligible Avant Practice Medical Indemnity Policy holders up to the cessation of their policy and is provided under a Group Policy between Liberty Mutual Insurance Company ABN 61 086 083 605 (Liberty) and Avant. Private health insurance products are issued by The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited, ABN 68 001 417 527, a member of the Avant Mutual Group. Avant arranges Avant Business Insurance as agent of the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850, AFSL 234 708 (Allianz) and may receive a commission on each policy arranged. Avant Travel Cover is available under a Group Policy between QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited, ABN 78 003 191 035, AFSL 239 545 (QBE) and Avant Mutual. Avant Travel Cover is underwritten by QBE and Avant may receive a benefit for arranging cover. Avant Financial Services is a registered business name of Avant Doctors’ Finance Pty Ltd (ACN 637 769 361) and licensed to Avant Doctors’ Finance Brokers Pty Ltd (ABN 75 640 406 784). Avant Doctors’ Finance Brokers Pty Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Avant Doctors’ Finance Pty Ltd. Loan products may be provided by Avant Doctors’ Finance Pty Ltd or arranged by Avant Doctors’ Finance Brokers Pty Ltd. Credit services or assistance to which the National Credit Code applies are provided by Avant Doctors’ Finance Brokers Pty Ltd as authorised Credit Representative (Credit Representative Number 523242) for LMG Broker Services Pty Ltd ACN 632 405 504 Australian Credit Licence 517192. Legal services are provided by Avant Law Pty Ltd ABN 63 136 429 153 (Avant Law). Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Legal practitioners employed by Avant Law are members of the scheme.


The information provided on this website is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. You should consider these, having regard to the appropriateness of the advice before deciding to purchase or continue to hold these products. For full details including the terms, conditions, and exclusions that apply, please read and consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording and Target Market Determination (TMD) which are available on this website or by contacting us on 1800 128 268. Information on this site does not constitute legal or professional advice, and is current as at the date of initial publication.