AMP
Australian insurer AMP has restructured its advice business to support its network of more than 3,000 aligned advisers.
Michael Guggenheimer has been appointed executive director advice, tasked with establishing the licensee boards and continuing AMP’s focus on quality governance.
AMP Financial Planning, AMP Advice, AMP Horizons and AMP Direct will come together as an integrated unit under the leadership of newly-appointed managing director, Michael Paff.
Adviser support business Hillross will be led by newly-appointed managing director, Dean Thomas, while Neil Swindells has been appointed managing director of sister firm Charter.
Chris Digby has been appointed managing director of SMSF Advice and Jigsaw Support Services, with Dave Akers appointed director, Channel Strategy and Services.
Aviva Asia
Aviva Asia has named Randy Lianggara as regional chief executive for China, Indonesia and Vietnam, effective from 1 April 2017.
In this newly created role, Lianggara will continue to report to Chris Wei, executive chairman of Aviva Asia and global chairman of Aviva Digital, and will also oversee the operation of the Asia regional office.
Lianggara joined Aviva as the regional executive for Indonesia and Vietnam in June 2016. Prior to which, he was the country chief executive, Life Insurance, General Insurance & Asset Management for Axa Indonesia.
Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial has announced three changes to its executive team effective 29 May 2017. Kevin Strain, currently president, Sun Life Financial Asia, will become executive vice president & chief financial officer.
His successor has been named as Claude Accum, currently executive vice president & chief risk officer.
Colm Freyne, currently executive vice president & chief financial officer, will replace Accum as executive vice president & chief risk officer.
Manulife
Roy Gori, senior executive vice president and general manager of Manulife’s Asia Division, has been appointed president of Manulife, effective 5 June. Gori will have responsibility for Manulife’s global operating businesses, reporting to chief executive Donald Guloien.
He will assume leadership of Manulife’s Canadian, US and Investment operations, in addition to Asia.
Gori will also be responsible for developing and executing Manulife’s business strategy. Currently based in Hong Kong, he will relocate to Toronto.
Sanlam Group
Hubert Brody, chief executive of Sanlam Personal Finance (SPF), has confirmed he will step down on 31 May 2017 “to attend more closely to his other interests”. Jurie Strydom, currently joint deputy chief executive of SPF, has been named as his successor.
The transition process will begin immediately and Strydom will take over on 1 June 2017.
With effect from 1 April 2017, Temba Mvusi, chief executive of group market development, has been appointed as acting chief executive of the Sanlam Corporate cluster which was established at the beginning of 2016.
Quilter Cheviot
Quilter Cheviot, part of Old Mutual Wealth, has strengthen its business development team with the appointment of Jonathan Buttress as regional development manager for East Anglia, reporting to Andrew McGlone, managing director, London Investment Management.
Buttress joined the investment management firm in March from Liverpool Victoria, where he worked as a retirement consultant for over five years. Prior to that he worked in business development roles at Connaught Asset Management and Verbatim Asset Management.
He joins the firm following the promotion of David Butler to Strategic Accounts Director.
Novia Global
Novia Global has expaned its sales and support team with the addition of Darren Moth as business development manager. He joins from Moneywise where he worked as a support team leader.
Moth has worked within financial services for over 11 years with past roles including wealth management co-ordinator, paraplanner, and practice manager across a number of adviser firms within the south-west of England. Currently studying towards achieving Chartered Financial Planner status, Moth holds a diploma in Financial Planning and certificate in Discretionary Investment Management.
European Wealth
European Wealth, the specialist wealth management group, has appointed Hugo Evans as head of finance. Evans will be based in the group’s London headquarters and is responsible for leading the group’s management accounting function.
He joins from Ocean Dial Asset Management, where he was an associate director responsible for finance, operations and compliance. Prior to that Evans was an accountant at Grant Thornton.