MLC Life suddenly loses tech chief Sarv Girn

MLC Life Insurance has unexpectedly lost its most senior technology executive, Sarv Girn.

In an shortly worded statement, MLC Life Insurance said it had “decided to part with its current Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer, Sarv Girn, with immediate effect.”

Appointed in early 2018 Girn, the former chief information officer at the Reserve Bank of Australia, had been leading a major $400 million architecture and systems overhaul of the insurer.

At the time of Girn’s hiring, which was trumpeted by MLC as a major coup, the insurers said it was aiming to “deliver the most advanced digital and process infrastructure” to improve customer experience.

The man that hired Girn into the transformation role, David Hackett, has also parted company with MLC Life Insurance, replaced by, Sean McCormack, the insurer's chief of group and retail partners, as acting CEO and managing director.

Speaking to Girn’s departure, MLC Life Insurance said it “will maintain its momentum in transitioning off National Australia Bank platforms, as well as delivering the most advanced digital and process infrastructure in the industry so as to create great customer experience across its group, retail and direct channels”.

An MLC Life Insurance spokesperson added that it would not provide comment an an individual's departure.

The insurer also named Tahir Tanveer as an interim “chief innovation and transformation officer” saying he would “commence shortly, pending regulatory approvals."

Tanveer’s current LinkedIn profile cites him as being the principal of consulting firm  Digital Frontier Partners having formerly been the head of business technology at Australian Unity.