Barwell (pictured) started his career at Friends Provident in 1989 and has worked across the life insurance market, most recently as an interim programme director at St James’s Place Wealth Management.
For the last 11 years, he has carved out a successful interim career, working for a range of financial services companies, including SJP, Legal & General and MD Insurance Services.
He has headed up RL360°’s marketing department on an interim basis since February 2016. During that time, the company has undergone significant change and expansion, including the integration of CMI Insurance Company, which has since been rebranded RL360° Services, and the acquisition of wealth platform Ardan International in 2016.
The company also announced the acquisition of Friends Provident International in July, which is expected to close this year.
Barwell’s remit includes all marketing activity, proposition development and fund manager relationships.
RL360° and its parent company International Financial Group Limited (IFGL), “have grown significantly in recent years and supporting such growth requires many things, not least a strong marketing presence across both traditional and digital marketing channels”, said Barwell.
“For both RL360° and the market in general it is a time of great change and I am looking forward to helping RL360° play its part.”
FPI acquisition manager
In addition to Barwell, RL360° has appointed Mark Salthouse to the role of director of group strategy for IFGL.
Salthouse is a business change programme director with 30 years’ consulting experience across a range of industries worldwide. He spent 28 years with PW/PwC/IBM, becoming a partner in 1999 and going on to create IBM’s European analytics practice.
He moved to RL360° to lead the integration of CMI into IFGL and is managing the purchase process for the Friends Provident International acquisition.
Salthouse will continue in that role on a permanent basis, as well as working on any further acquisitions and key strategic projects. He joins the IFGL executive team.
“I have found RL360°/IFGL an exciting place to work,” said Salthouse. “There is a can-do attitude within the company, together with a commitment to doing business the right way, which is refreshing, especially at a time when there is a huge opportunity in the international market.
“We are seeing extensive regulatory change which allows a well-run international business to grow both the market and market share and it provides a great opportunity to drive the IFGL Group forward.”
Commenting on the appointments David Kneeshaw, chief executive of IFGL, said: “Our drive for growth, both organic and transactional, means that we need to strengthen the management of IFGL and RL360°. I have known both Simon and Mark for many years and together they add a broad range of experience and capability which makes us stronger. “