James Smith
James joined the Hazlett Insurance team in January 2021, having worked in insurance since 2008. He has had roles in major New Zealand and London-based brokers in disciplines including technical claims management, risk management, business analysis, broking team management and corporate-level broking.
Canterbury born and bred, James did a commerce degree at Otago University and then worked in ACC before moving to his first insurance broking role in Wellington. He then spent six years in London with an independent broker in the corporate risk market.
Home beckoned however and he returned to Wellington, taking a role in a major insurance company’s corporate team, but the draw of Canterbury was always strong, and he returned to take up a leadership role in a prominent brokerage. The Hazlett Insurance role provides a welcome opportunity to working in a smaller, high-service focused team dealing directly with large clients.
Anna Archbold
Growing up in the small rural community of Fairlie in South Canterbury, Anna spent her teenage years working holiday and after-school jobs in the rural sector. After high school Anna completed a Bachelor of Social Science at Lincoln University, and on completing this she took a role for a local Christchurch insurance broker in 2007, in which she stayed for 17 years.
Her broking experience is extensive and diverse, having undertaken commercial, domestic and rural broking and support, as well as delving into staff management, credit control and accounts.
Anna joined the team at Hazlett Insurance in January 2024, taking the role of Office & Compliance Manager. Outside of the office Anna enjoys sporting pursuits, including rugby, cricket and snowboarding, although she does mention that her participation in rugby is now much more from the sideline than it used to be!
Peter Buckley
Peter brought some 27 years of experience in the insurance industry to Hazlett Insurance when he joined in 2017, including 10 years in the United Kingdom in the Lloyds of London market as a broker. Canterbury born and bred, he originally started in the banking and finance industry here and then in Perth, followed by a couple of years working in the outback for a mining company client before he headed for the UK.
He also brought a deep appreciation of the worth of old-fashioned client service. His role now is almost entirely that of a rural specialist: “I like what I do and who I do it for.”
Peter has done a lot of sports coaching over the years – basketball, skiing and mountain biking. He is still a keen sportsman but “… more of a spectator these days.”
James Richards
James joined the Hazlett Insurance team in July 2020. Having grown up in Christchurch, captaining the 1stst XI at Christchurch Boys High School for two years and later graduating from Lincoln University, he took up a role as a business account manager and then a broker support role in a large brokerage. The opportunity to become a broker stayed out of reach however so when a broker’s role in Hazlett came up, he leapt at the opportunity.
He started out doing covers for smaller businesses but progressed rapidly to the point where he is now servicing large commercial clients.
He has played rugby and cricket for most of his life and remains an avid sports fan; these days he enjoys playing golf. James and his partner Sinead had a son, Walter, in 2023.
Jake Darling
Having grown up around farming in the Wairarapa, and also in Nelson, Jake moved south to study at Canterbury University where he graduated Bachelor of Commerce in 2014. He has lived in Christchurch ever since. He joined the Hazlett Insurance team in July 2021 after five years at another broking firm, where he worked primarily in the rural and commercial space. He is now enjoying being part of the Hazlett Insurance team providing as he says “… fit-for-purpose insurance solutions for clients.” He is still servicing both rural and commercial, and concentrates on building relationships in both sectors. He is an avid sportsman, playing cricket as well as “… hacking my way around the golf course.”
Croydon Roberts
In August 2022 Christchurch-based Atlas Insurance Brokers merged with Hazlett Insurance. Atlas had been operated since 1989 by Croydon and his father John. Croydon was attracted to Hazlett as he saw it, as well as having far greater back-office capacity, sharing his own ethos of commitment to quality service and enduring client relationships.
It’s a case of full circle for Croydon. His career started in Hastings in the late 1970s with stock & station firm Dalgetys who moved him to Auckland. From there Croydon shifted to the head office of a large insurer of the day that in turn transferred him to Christchurch.
The most recent development sees him back working inside a farm servicing organisation again – when he is not hunting and fishing on Stewart Island with his son, something they have been doing for many years.
Kent Lloyd
Kent moved to Christchurch from Auckland in 2009 to study at Lincoln University where he gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree and joined Hazlett Insurance in March 2020 to take up the Claims Manager role.
Prior to this he spent 5 years emersed in the Vero claims team working on the substantial complexed challenges of the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes.
In Hazlett he is enjoying the opportunity to operate with clients on a more personal level, including on-farm if that is the best approach. His greatest satisfaction is in negotiating outstanding claims results.
When not working Kent enjoys his passion for following most sports and continues an active involvement in social football.
Silvana Ionita
Silvana hails from Romania. She moved with her parents and siblings to New Zealand in 2004.
She joined a large insurer in 2007, working firstly in data entry but progressively rising to more senior positions. Seven years later she joined a global insurance broking company as an account executive where she became hooked on insurance broking. She joined the Hazlett Insurance team in March 2019 as a broker sales support.
Continued personal and professional growth is a priority for Silvana. She enjoys assisting clients with their insurance needs and finding solutions that better suit their requirements.
Saret Yan
Saret joined the insurance industry in 2007 under a school-leaver’s programme based at CPIT whereby she worked at a major insurance brokerage for a year while doing a business admin course at the polytech. Upon completing the year she was offered a full-time position in the company. She was initially an assistant underwriter before becoming senior broker support, and a bit later an insurance broker.
Ownership changes in her employing company saw her move to another brokerage for a couple of years before joining Hazlett Insurance in May 2017.
The rural scene was new to her, throwing up lots of unfamiliar terms and so on, but her role involves domestic insurance and she has fitted in easily.
She enjoys the broker role especially as it involves dealing with both the insurers and the clients: “You’re the face of the insurance industry for the client.”
Sara Morrin
Sara joined the insurance industry in Christchurch in 2004 after working previously in retail and logistics. She has experience with both insurers and insurance brokers – mostly in all aspects of commercial insurance, but has also handled domestic matters for commercial clients. At one point she spent three years as a broker for SMEs.
Sara is a Senior Associate of the ANZIIF (Australia New Zealand Institute of Insurance & Finance).
She joined Hazlett Insurance in September 2022 and works in the broker support role for most of the brokers in the team, and enjoys supporting the team to provide the best outcomes and service for clients.
Tracey Gerken
Tracey commenced her insurance career in 2013, working for a large insurer in domestic and rural insurance. Though having no previous connection with the farming sector, she found the rural aspect of her work particularly interesting.
A few years on Tracey looked for a change, and joined Hazlett Insurance in 2018, where she became broker support for Peter Buckley — a substantial role since Peter’s role as a specialist rural broker requires him to be largely in the field servicing his clients requirements. Tracey has been very pleased with the shift: she calls rural insurance in Hazlett ‘the happy place’.
Erin Henley
Erin joined the insurance industry in Christchurch in 2010 just before the Canterbury Earthquakes and was with a large broking company for 13 years. She is an experienced Broker Support who has a broad knowledge of insurance coverage from domestic and SME business to corporate accounts.
Erin completed a Diploma of Insurance Broking via ANZIFF (Australia New Zealand Institute of Insurance & Finance) and brings this knowledge and her previous experience to Hazlett, having joined our team in February 2024.
Erin enjoys supporting the team and strives to provide the best outcomes for clients.