Our Executive

Nicholas Kirk Chief Executive Officer

Nicholas Kirk

Nick joined the Calliden Group in March 2004 to build a new insurance group from the foundation of the successful run-off of the old reinsurance portfolio.

Nick has over 25 years experience in the industry with extensive experience locally, in the UK and in mainland Europe.

Nick was previously with Vero where he held a number of general management roles, most latterly responsible for their speciality businesses in Australia. Prior to Vero, Nick held various senior underwriting management roles internationally with the Royal & Sun Alliance Group.

Nick is a Chartered Insurer of the Chartered Insurance Institute, London.

More about Nick

Born? Lewisham, South London

Went to school? Keston in Kent

Worst job you’ve ever had? Junior Inspector - Soho

How long have you been at Calliden? 5 years

What do you like most about working at Calliden? The challenge

How would people describe your personality? Straight forward and analytical

What do you do to unwind? Work

Any pets? 2 dogs, a cat and a goldfish

What is your proudest moment? My 25th wedding anniversary

Any thing(s) that have happened to you, that appeared horribly embarrassing at the time but funny now? Doing a survey at a "health club" that turned out to be a bordello

What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? I used to sell jewellery on a market stall

Adrian Diggelmann Chief Financial Officer

Adrian Diggelmann

Adrian is responsible for managing the finance, portfolio, governance and investment functions of Calliden Group. The role includes oversight of finance, risk management, compliance, legal, company secretarial, investor relations and regulatory relations activities, portfolio management and investment management, capital management, mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures.

Adrian has 15 years' experience in financial services, gained largely in the general insurance and funds management sectors. He previously held a number of finance roles at MLC and GIO. Adrian is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, a Fellow of Chartered Secretaries Australia, a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management.

More about Adrian

Born? Auckland NZ

Went to school? Auckland

Worst job you’ve ever had? Kitchen hand

How long have you been at Calliden? Since 2006

What do you like most about working at Calliden? The opportunity to make a difference and be involved in a wide variety of projects

How would people describe your personality? Analytical

What do you do to unwind? Read

What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? I won a baby contest. I think I peaked too early in my modelling career

Stephen Fay Group Executive, Underwriting

Stephen Fay

Stephen is responsible for commercial agency business of Calliden. The role includes oversight of our focused commercial affinity, construction, warranty, and business interruption offerings distributed through agencies and partners.

He has spent the past decade in strategic and analytical roles within the Australian insurance market, including roles at Suncorp, Re AC and APRA. Stephen has tertiary degrees in mathematics and economics, and holds an MBA through the Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

More about Stephen

Born? North Sydney

Went to school? Manly

Worst job you’ve ever had? Cleaning out the sausage maker at the butchers

How long have you been at Calliden? Since April 2004

What do you like most about working at Calliden? The staff’s positive attitude in rising to new challenges

How would people close to you describe your personality? Energetic

What do you do to unwind? Read and ride my bike

Any pets? No

What is your proudest moment? My 12 year old daughter winning an argument against me

Any thing(s) that have happened to you, that appeared horribly embarrassing at the time but funny now? Cutting my own hair for many years

What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? Have my photographed face used as a case study on emotions in anthropology for the past 20 years

Mike Hooton Group Executives, Customers

Mike Hooton

Mike is responsible for: ensuring the Group has a distinctive corporate identity and each specialist brand promotes its unique proposition clearly and effectively; and managing and developing the Group's diverse distribution network in order to maximise profitable revenue growth

Mike is an associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute UK and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Science specialising in Marketing. He also has a diploma in General Management from INSEAD.

More about Mike

Born? Wigan, Lancashire U.K.

Went to school? Wigan

Worst job you’ve ever had? Plucking turkeys for Christmas

How long have you been at Calliden? Since September 2004

What do you like most about working at Calliden? The variety

How would people close to you describe your personality? Compulsively obsessive at times

What do you do to unwind?  Spend as much time as I can with my daughter seeing life through the eyes of a 3 year old

Any pets? Two cats including a diabetic one and the other has 3 legs

What is your proudest moment? I would like to say Wigan Athletic FC getting promoted to the premier league in 2005 but I better say the birth of my daughter in the same year

Any thing(s) that have happened to you, that appeared horribly embarrassing at the time but funny now? Having the top of my ear sewn back on by a dentist - honestly! Following a rugby match

What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? I met Lady Gaga at Brisbane Airport or I played first grade rugby union in the U.K.

Simone Dossetor Group Executive, Services

Simone Dossetor

Simone is responsible for Claims, Group strategy and Business Planning.

Simone’s Claims responsibilities include both our liability and litigated claims team as well as oversight of other claims handled by our joint venture claims provider CSA. Simone’s strategy and planning role includes development of overall business strategy and strategic planning framework. This includes mergers & acquisition opportunities and other individual business projects as required.

Simone joined Calliden in 2007 and has played a central role in many of our acquisitions and strategic projects. Previously, Simone worked in both the UK (with Deloitte) and Australia (with Trowbridge Consulting which has become Finity) on a range of strategic and operational projects for general & life insurers, reinsurers, insurance third party service providers, and corporate entities. Simone has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney and is currently completing an MBA at AGSM.

More about Simone

Born? Melbourne

Went to school? Darlinghurst, Sydney

Worst job you’ve ever had? Pizza Delivery driver- my car never lost the smell of melted cheese

How long have you been at Calliden? Since January 2007

What do you like most about working at Calliden? The colour purple, the people and the culture.

How would people close to you describe your personality? Pragmatic, delivery focused but easygoing

What do you do to unwind? Sneak off for a coffee

Any pets? We had to give our cat to our Niece as she kept getting into fights with cars andbigger inner city cats.

What is your proudest moment? No single moment but I’m proud of my sons everyday when they do the usual kid things like: sing the “ABC song”, laugh hysterically jumping on the bed, write their name and sometimes even eat their dinner!

Any thing(s) that have happened to you, that were horribly embarrassing at the time but funny now? Tried to ride a bike whilst backpacking in India but I kept falling off and ran into the local kids who were laughing at me.

What have you done that no one would guess you'd done? Travelled around Cuba, Russia and Vietnam so I've seen my fare share of broken down buses and embalmed communist dictators.