AA has announced the appointment of Phil Coster as chief technology officer. He joins AA after eight years as chief information officer of Mitre 10, five of which were spent leading the retailer’s business transformation programme to improved operational and organisational efficiency.

Coster boasts more than 25 years in the IT industry, including retail and e-commerce experience from his time as CIO at the EziBuy Group, and various roles at Vector, ACP Media, and Coca-Cola Amatil. 

Coster was recognised as one of the top three CIOs in the country in the 2021 CIO awards.

AA chief executive Nadine Tereora said Coster’s application was a “standout” and called him a perfect fit for the role.

“He is adept at focusing on the practical application of technology in areas such as insights, supply chain optimisation, cybersecurity and digital transformation and holds a philosophy of leveraging technology to help people perform their jobs smarter, not harder, in the pursuit of outstanding experience for all customers,” Tereora said. “Most importantly, Phil is a people person who cultivates a consistently great culture and leads teams with a reputation for getting things done, even during periods of disruption and change, by empowering them to work together to get the very best results for the company.”

Coster will officially join the insurer as CTO within the next few months.