John Van Der Wielen is a finance and insurance sector executive with broad international experience in the insurance industry.
From May 2017 to May 2022, he was chief executive of not-for-profit health fund HBF, the dominant player in Western Australia. Mr Van Der Wielen has also chaired ASX-listed fintech startup Kyckr.
Originally from Perth, Mr Van Der Wielen began his career in the State Government Insurance Office, before joining the Fortis Group. In 1998 he was recruited by Bank of Scotland to establish insurance group, St Andrews Australia, which he grew to encompass wealth management and life insurance. He moved to London with HBOS (the successor to Bank of Scotland) and was appointed CEO, Clerical Medical, Halifax Life & Heidelberger Leben and promoted to the insurance executive board of HBOS parent Lloyds Banking Group. In 2010 he returned to Australia to lead the wealth management business for ANZ Banking Group and accepted the group executive role. Mr Van Der Wielen returned to London after being recruited for the insurance acquirer Resolution plc, and later became chief executive, UK & International, for Friends Life. He returned to Perth in 2016 with a portfolio of advisory and non-executive board positions, including as chair of the advisory council at the Western Australian Government's Future Health Research and Innovation Fund from November 2020 to February 2024.
Mr Van Der Wielen has been a senior advisor for Blackstone and Appian Capital Advisory LLP. He has also been the chair of Crown Perth and Orthocell, and non-executive director of Crown Resorts and the Royal Flying Doctor Service WA.
Mr Van Der Wielen holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia, has studied at London Business School and Oxford University, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
