Lockton New Zealand Announces Craig Buckle as Chief Executive Officer

Lockton, the world's largest privately-owned independent insurance broker, is pleased to announce the appointment of Craig Buckle as Chief Executive Officer of Lockton New Zealand, effective January 1, 2024. He will succeed Peter Lowe, who skillfully spearheaded the launch and remarkable growth of Lockton Pacific’s expansion into New Zealand and will retire at the end of this year.

Mr. Buckle’s transition to the CEO role has been an integral part of Lockton Pacific’s succession planning in New Zealand, highlighting Lockton's commitment to nurturing leadership from within.

"We are thrilled to welcome Craig to this crucial role," comments Paul Marsden, CEO at Lockton Pacific. "Craig's visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to our company's growth ambitions will propel us to even greater heights and strengthen our client service offering across the Pacific region."

Mr. Buckle has served as the Head of the Corporate Risk business division since 2021 and played a pivotal role in establishing Lockton New Zealand, uniting the team under a shared purpose. With over 30 years of experience in corporate risk insurance management, he is a respected leader in the insurance industry, having held leadership roles at Marsh, Allianz, and Willis Towers Watson New Zealand.

Mr. Lowe has served as Chief Executive Officer since 2021 and, prior to this, held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Willis Towers Watson New Zealand. Throughout his illustrious career, he has been instrumental in building successful, client-focused risk and insurance broking firms in the Pacific region and introduced alternative risk transfer and financing concepts to businesses across America, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.

"Peter is an accomplished and highly effective business leader," continued Mr Marsden. "We are extremely grateful for his contribution to establishing and instilling the Lockton culture in New Zealand. He has successfully launched our business in the country, setting up three offices and assembling a team of 30 highly skilled professionals while earning the trust of many of New Zealand's leading businesses. Currently, Lockton New Zealand manages an impressive portfolio that continues to grow at a rapid pace."

"It's been an honor to lead this great company," commented Mr. Lowe. "Very few privately owned firms are as relevant, resilient, and successful as Lockton is today. I leave with the same thought I had the day I became CEO: the best is yet to come for Lockton New Zealand."

Mr. Buckle said, "I am thankful to Peter and the Lockton leadership team for their support and confidence in me. We have terrific momentum and the capabilities and expertise needed to drive innovation and growth, deliver critical client solutions, and create value for shareholders. I look forward to partnering with our colleagues to write our next chapter."

Lockton remains committed to its strategic objectives across the region. "We are well-prepared to continue our growth trajectory, delivering exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders," said Mr. Buckle.