Providence names ex-FPI Middle East boss as chief executive

He also held senior roles at the DIFC and Standard Life

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Cross-border retirement and savings solutions provider Providence Life has hired Chris Divito as chief executive, subject to regulatory approvals.

He will take up the role on 1 September and succeeds Austin Blair, who leaves the firm after more than 10 years to move on to other projects.

Back to Dubai

Divito is currently and will remain a non-executive director on the UK board of Praemium.

He returns to Dubai from his native Scotland where he was associate professor of finance at Edinburgh Napier University.

He was managing director – Middle East and Africa at Friends Provident International between 2017 and 2019.

Divito also spent two years as senior vice president, head of wealth & asset management at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and was chief executive – Middle East at Standard Life Aberdeen from 2012 to 2015.

Evolving market

Divito described it as “an exciting time for [Providence] and a period of change across the international advice industry”.

“I’m confident that Providence can grow from this current strong proposition and further enhance existing solutions and develop new ones, meet the growing international demand, as well as the evolving market conditions and client expectations.”

the company’s chairman, Steve Flynn, thanked Blair “for his efforts, his commitment and leadership” and welcomed Divito to the firm.

“We’re looking forward to an exciting period of change, evolution and growth with Chris at the helm.”

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