Suncorp selected a veteran of Britain's insurance industry, and also of Britain's army, to run the Brisbane-based insurance and banking group.Suncorp is the first job as a chief executive for Patrick Snowball, aged 59. . He was passed over by Aviva to become CEO in 2007, leaving to work as an executive director in the insurance intermediary Towergate for the last two years.His first career was in the army, where he left after 17 years with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and an operational knowledge of tank tactics, among other things.Snowball is due to take up his post in September 2009.Most of the questioning and commentary yesterday was along the lines that the Suncorp board had chosen a person with extensive insurance experience because it plans to sell its banking division.Snowball and Suncorp chairman John Story were keen to hose down that line of inquiry yesterday at a media meet and greet in Sydney.Story said Snowball would continue the work of "reshaping" Suncorp, which included a possible move to a non operating holding company structure. He said the board was frustrated by the fact that what it considered the true worth of the company was not recognised by the market.Suncorp's share price has been under pressure since it took over Promina in 20007. The market's view is that it paid too much and then lost too much of Promina's management talent during the integration.More recently its banking operation, which has relied heavily on capital market funding and has a big commercial property book, has been a focus of shareholder discontent.Story said: "I have said in the past that all our lines of business are strategic. We have a strong leader coming on board. We are confident of the future."Snowball said: "I would not have come down here if I thought this  business did  not have  fantastic opportunities  going forward."He conceded that he had no banking experience but said he had run diversified businesses.Snowball dwelled on his military experience, including tours in Germany, Northern Ireland and Brunei. He said he had received extensive leadership training in the army and this had shaped a management style that was based on "clarity of purpose" and "relentless focus on delivery".Story said outgoing chief financial officer and acting CEO Chris Skilton had not set a date for his departure and would be in place in September to help manage the leadership transition. A search is under way for a new CFO.As for his own position, Story said he looked forward to having some good years at Suncorp.