MetLife lures Woolworths IT exec as new CIO

The local arm of New York-based insurer MetLife has named Tim Batten, the former head of technology at Woolworths Marketplace, as its new chief information officer.

Batten spent almost seven years as Westpac's head of online technology before he departed the bank for Woolworths in 2012. He has also previously held senior positions at NAB and Telstra.

His predecessor at MetLife is Mathews George, who held the position since early 2012 after joining MetLife in 2006 as an applications development manager.

A spokesperson for MetLife said George left the company because he "felt the time was right" after 10 years.

The new CIO is the latest in a string of senior appointments at the insurer over recent months. In May, Matthew O’Halloran left Toyota Financial Services Australia to join MetLife as its head of infrastructure.

The company also hired Oliver Johnston as its new head business intelligence and data governance and Aaron Fuller to lead data and digital.

MetLife Australia chief executive Deanne Stewart praised Batten’s experience in the financial services and retail sectors.

“Technology is a strategic priority for our sector, and Tim has a wealth of knowledge drawn from his previous roles, particularly in establishing and driving major online transformation programs," Stewart said in a statement.

“We are excited to welcome Tim, and to tap into his expertise to develop our offering for the benefit of our customers.”