Movers and Shakers: FST Media’s monthly wrap of the personnel changes in financial services across Australia, New Zealand and wider Asia.
Australia and New Zealand
Appointments
October marks a number of high-profile appointments across financial services in Australia and New Zealand, with noteworthy additions to Suncorp Group, National Australia Bank as well as Insurance Australia Group Limited.
Gary Dransfield has been unveiled as Suncorp Group’s CEO of Personal Insurance, following Mark Milliner’s resignation. CEO and Managing Director Michael Cameron announced that Dransfield, who is currently interim CEO at Suncorp Life, will take up the role effective today.
Andrew Knott has been ushered in as National Australia Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer. Knott joins NAB from McDonald’s where for the past three years he has been Vice President, Media & Digital for the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
Peter Harmer has been appointed as Managing Director and CEO for Insurance Australia Group Limited, effective November 16 next month. Harmer first joined IAG in 2010 and has held a number of executive roles across the organisation, including leading IAG Labs as the Chief Executive Officer. In addition, Jeff Jacobs joins IAG as Chief Information Security Officer. The newly-created role sees Jacobs lead a cyber-security group dealing with threat detection and response, security strategy and governance following an executive reshuffle at the insurance group.
Simon Pomeroy has been announced as Chief Transformation Officer for Westpac New Zealand. Previously, Pomeroy was the bank’s Chief Digital Officer helping oversee the bank’s multi-channel digital transformation with the Westpac One overhaul, as well as building its partnership with US financial services startup Moven.
Renee McGowan has been appointed as Chief Customer and Marketing Officer to Mercer’s Pacific Market Leadership Team. The internal promotion sees McGowan direct the firm’s consumer and business marketing functions with a greater focus on customer experience.
Richard Klipin has been appointed as the Chief Distribution Officer for Sovereign Assurance, New Zealand’s largest life insurer. Previously, Klipin was the Chief Executive of Millenium 3 as well as the CEO as the Former Association of Financial Advisers.
Nici Andronicus has joined Club Plus Super as Head of Strategic Relationships and will be responsible for responsible for strengthening the fund’s industry position and forging new strategic relationships to drive growth and development.
Tim Hewson has been unveiled as ING Direct’s National Partnership Manager for Residential Lending and Wealth in Australia, with the internal promotion seeing Hewson lead the bank’s growth in the mortgage and advice industries.
Stephen Reilly has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer for HESTA. Reilly’s new role sees him responsible for driving the fund’s innovation and operational strategy for administration and insurance, finance, technology, risk and compliance, and investment operations.
John Burke has joined Challenger as a director of the investor solutions team. Most recently, Burke was the Director of Global Markets at Deutsche Bank.
Stephanie Phillips has been appointed to the role of Chief Group Insurance Officer for AIA Australia. Phillips first joined AIA in 2009 and her new role sees her lead the insurer’s distribution, product, pricing and operations across Australia.
Asia
Appointments
October marks a number of high-profile appointments across financial services in Asia, with noteworthy additions to Great Eastern and Manulife Asset Management.
Khor Hock Seng has been unveiled as Great Eastern Holding’s new Group Chief Executive Officer and will join the company on November 2 next week. Most recently, Seng was the CEO of Aviva Asia and prior to that, Chief Executive and Managing Director of AIA’s Malaysian business.
Jim Chang has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer for Manulife Asset Management in Taiwan. Chang has over 26 years of experience in the asset management industry and has previously held senior management positions with leading global financial services providers in Taiwan.
Angela Hunter has been appointed as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Prudential Assurance Singapore. Hunter’s new role sees her leading the marketing division, product development and management, customer value management, healthcare services as well as corporate and marketing communications.
Peter So has been announced as UBS Wealth Management’s Country Team Head in Hong Kong. Previously, So was a veteran relationship manager for Credit Suisse and is expected commence his new role this week.
Sneha Sanghvi has been announced as Westpac’s new Head of Financial Markets for Asia. Sanghvi replaces the outgoing Michael Bass and will report to Balaji Swaminathan, general manager for Westpac International in Singapore.
Paula Choi has been unveiled as Global Life Chief Market Management Officer for Zurich Insurance in Asia Pacific. In addition to her new role, Choi will also retain her position as Global Life Chief Executive Officer of Zurich in Hong Kong.
Vicky Lin has been appointed as Managing Director and Head of Standard Chartered Bank’s Taiwan market. Based in Hong Kong, Lin will manage the offshore Taiwanese market as part of the bank’s push to expand its regional presence in Asia and Greater China.
Audrey Zau has joined Rothschild’s wealth management and trust business as its new Head of North Asia. Zau has over 20 years of experience in Hong Kong’s private banking market and was most recently the head of wealth management for North Asia at BHI Investment Advisors.