Executive Profiles

Steve Nevett
Chief Executive Officer - Aon Corporation Australia

Steve has worked in the insurance industry for over 35 years, with extensive international experience working with companies such as Commercial Union, Factory Mutual, Marsh (Sedgwick) and Aon.

He joined Aon in 2002 and was appointed CEO in 2007, having previously been responsible for Aon’s Australian Corporate client portfolio. As CEO, Steve has retained a top level contact role with a number of major clients, which entails knowing their business, providing strategic advice and ensuring that all of Aon’s capabilities are employed appropriately in assisting those clients to achieve their risk financing and risk management objectives.

Steve is a qualified Practising Insurance Broker and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He has attended management courses at the Harvard Club of Australia, the Kellogg School of Management, Mt Eliza and INSEAD.

Jason Disborough
Chief Commercial Officer - Aon Corporation Australia

Jason has worked in the insurance industry for over 17 years and was appointed to the role of Chief Commercial Officer in January 2009. He is accountable for Aon Risk Service's growth strategy in Australia across its Corporate, Retail, Wholesale and Risk Consulting divisions. Jason maintains strategic responsibility for a number of Aon's major clients providing strategic advice and solution for key accounts.

Jason is recognised as one of the leading risk-financing experts in the Asia Pacific region and is a regular speaker at thought leadership forums on topics such as advanced risk-financing and risk management strategies and trends.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) from Victoria University and a Bachelor of Commerce (Insurance & Marketing) from Deakin University. He is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF), a Certified Insurance Professional (CIP), a Certified Finance and Treasury Professional (CFTP) and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).

Stephen J Lardner
Director, Broking Operations - Aon Corporation Australia

As the Director of Broking Operations, Steve is responsible for driving change through sponsoring business ideas and implementing innovations that will meet the ever changing needs of our clients.  His brief is also to identify and implement disciplines across Aon’s business that will ensure a uniform commitment to how we deliver on our promises to clients and stakeholders.

Prior to this appointment, Steve was the National General Manager of Aon Australia’s Retail Risk Services business. In this role he was responsible for Aon’s Affinity, SME and Micro business segments, overseeing the operations of 30 branches and more than 600 staff Australia-wide.

He is a member of Aon Australia’s National Operating Committee, a Director of Aon’s Asia Pacific Board, and a member of Aon’s Affinity Worldwide Leadership Group. 

Steve joined the Aon group in 1990 and has had a variety of roles including State Director NSW, and National Manager, Aon Insurance Services. Steve was also involved in the development of Aon’s Life Risk and Financial Planning operations.

Steve is President of the National Insurance Brokers Association. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of NSW, and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.

Robert De Souza
President - Aon Benfield Asia Pacific / Chief Executive Officer - Aon Benfield Australia & New Zealand

Robert is the President of Aon Benfield APAC and CEO of the Aon Benfield team in Australia & New Zealand.

Robert commenced his career in insurance with NRMA in Sydney. Subsequently he worked with Wigham Poland in London and Sydney, both with the insurance and reinsurance broking teams.

He joined Copenhagen Re in 1984 as a treaty and facultative underwriter before joining Benfield in 1988. He was made Assistant Managing director in 1997 and Managing Director in 2000.

Robert has a Bachelor of Economics from Sydney University and is a Senior Associate of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance.

Stewart Fotheringham
Managing Director - Aon Consulting Australia, New Zealand & Papua New Guinea

Stewart joined Aon UK in 1985 and was variously responsible for consulting operations in Scotland, North of England and the South West of England. He was a member of the UK Operations Committee.

During his 30 years in the financial services industry he has worked as a consultant to a number of major corporations on all aspects of retirement and benefit planning across multiple geographies and regulatory environments. This has included working with the Board of the National Provident Fund of Papua New Guinea in establishing a new governance framework in the light of new financial services legislation in PNG.

Stewart also serves on the Trustee Board of the Aon Master Trust, a A$1.5-billion retirement plan in Australia.

Paul Johnson
Regional Leader - Aon Global Risk Consulting Asia Pacific

Paul has served as the regional leader of Aon Global Risk Consulting Asia Pacific since 2007. He is currently a member on the global board of Aon Global Risk Consulting. Before this appointment Paul was responsible for building the Risk Consulting business in Australia, which experienced strong growth under his leadership. He joined Aon from Deloitte in 2003 and created Aon Risk Accounting, specialising in business interruption solutions to clients.

Paul is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of their Institute in Australia. He also holds a Bachelor in Business degree from the University of Technology Sydney and is an Associate of the Insurance Institute in Australia. He also successfully completed the Professional Service Firms program at Harvard Business School.

Paul Venning
National General Manager - Aon Risk Services (Corporate Risk Services)

Paul is the National General Manager of Aon Risk Services' Corporate Division, and is responsible for overseeing all operations of Aon’s major client services in Australia.

Paul has over 30 years insurance industry experience in insurance broking, underwriting and in leadership, developing solutions to reduce the total cost of insurable risk for private and public sector organisations. His career includes senior roles in all aspects of Aon’s service framework including heading up placement teams, service units and business development. His focus has always been on large corporate and public sector organisations in Australia and New Zealand.

Scott Willmot
National General Manager, Aon Risk Services (Retail Risk Services)

Scott is the National General Manager of Aon’s Retail Risk Services’ business. He is responsible for Aon’s Affinity, SME and Micro business segments, overseeing the operations of 30 branches and more than 600 staff Australia wide.  Scott is a member of the Aon National Operating Committee. 

Scott joined Aon in 1996 and has had a variety of roles including National Manager, Sales & Service, National Manager, Professional & Consumer Services and State Manager, Professional Risks. 

Scott has had over 20 years experience in the insurance broking industry.

Angie Zissis
National General Manager - Freeman McMurrick

Angie serves as National General Manager of Freeman McMurrick based in Sydney, Australia.

Freeman McMurrick are a wholesale insurance broker providing services and products to over 400 insurance brokers in Australia, and were acquired by the Aon Group in 2006.

Angie has been in this role since July 2008. He was previously Aon Australia’s Chief Operating Officer and has been part of the Aon Group since 1986. Angie has held various roles including Finance Manager of Victoria, South Australia and Papua New Guinea at different times. He was also Aon’s Financial Controller and General Manager Finance prior to becoming COO.