What’s New: In Brief (February 27, 2008)

Northbridge Financial Corporation (TSX: NB) has appointed Craig Pinnock as its new chief financial officer, effective Mar. 31.
Pinnock will succeed current CFO John Varnell, who is retiring.
Pinnock, a chartered accountant, has served in progressively senior finance roles within the Liberty Mutual Group for more than eight years, a Northbridge statement says.
Most recently he was senior vice president and CFO of Liberty Mutual Group’s Canadian branches and global head of reinsurance accounting and administration for Liberty International Underwriters, Liberty’s specialty lines business unit.
Varnell has been Northbridge’s CFO since 2005. He served on the company’s board of directors from 2003-07.

AIG Travel Guard Canada has launched a public awareness campaign to educate policyholders on the limitations of their credit card, workplace benefits or provincial health care travel insurance coverage.
Many Canadians believe their credit cards, employee benefit plans or the provincial government protect them fully on trips outside of Canada. But that is often not the case, an AIG Travel Guard Canada release says.
AIG notes Ontario’s public health plan only covers up to Cdn$400 a day in international medical expenses, while the B.C. plan covers up to Cdn$75 a day. A one-day stay in an American facility can cost up to $4,000, AIG says.