About

‘An extremely capable general counsel and company secretary’, Chris Bertuch is ‘focused on achieving high value outcomes for the company that he represents’. During a varied and impressive in-house career, he has had a long run of transactional and litigation successes. As IAG’s general counsel and company secretary, Bertuch handles all the Australian multinational insurer’s corporate legal, governance and regulatory support. Since his arrival in 2011, Bertuch has worked closely with IAG’s commercial arms to support its strategic national and regional growth. Most recently, he helped deliver the insurer’s strategic partnership with Berkshire Hathaway, widely viewed as ‘the largest and most complex insurance transaction ever agreed’. Sources also praise him for his role in the acquisitions of Wesfarmers Insurance’s underwriting businesses in 2013 and Lumley General Insurance (NZ) in 2014. In his previous role as industrial business CSR’s GC and company secretary, Bertuch worked closely with the board and senior executive, supporting all business arms. As well as handling the demerger of Rinker’s construction business, and the sale of CSR’s sugar line, he also resolved major cross-border litigation surrounding asbestos claims. Bertuch previously spent two decades in private practice, rising to partner-level at Gadens Lawyers.