Risk People Updates

/

New Appointments

ING welcomes head of wealth and CEO

Dina Kotsopoulous is the new head of wealth at ING Australia, moving across from a long-term role at BT. Melanie Evans is the new chief executive of ING’s Australian business, with Uday Sareen promoted to head of wholesale banking for ING Europe, Middle East and Africa. Evans was an internal promotion.

ClearView welcomes GM of people and operations

Debbie Lowe is now in the newly-created role of general manager of wealth management at ClearView Wealth Limited. Lowe is an internal promotion, with vast experience in the industry. Other new additions include Gerard Kerr from Zurich as the new GM of life insurance and Nadine Gooderick as the GM of transformation.

FPA welcomes new board members

The Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) has appointed three new board members for a term of three years:

  1. Kearsten James (current chair of FPA’s Gold Coast chapter

  2. Julie Matheson (a long-standing member of FPA)

  3. Julian Place (FPA Melbourne chapter, member of the education council)

Outgoing board members are Marisa Broome, Delma Newton and Michelle Tate-Lovery, with Broome appointed as an additional director to continue as the chair of the board for another term.

Departures

CFS Investments chair retiring

Anne Ward is retiring from the Colonial First State Investments and Avanteos Investments board as chair, after eight years. Ward remains on several boards.

Awards

PFL insurance awards

Plan For Life’s annual insurance excellence awards have been held in a virtual event, with the following wins by industry players:

  • MLC won four categories in health and wellness initiatives (Overall Health and Wellness Excellence Award, Devices and Health Tracking Award, Physical and Mental Health Support Award, and Discounts and Healthy Living Rewards Award). MLC also won the new Debt Insurance Award.

  • TAL Life won in five categories (Ongoing Medically-Tested Health Discounts Award, Rehabilitation and Claims Support Award, and Outcomes Experience Award), the Innovations Benefits Award for its Mental Health Project, and the Health and Wellness Programs Market View Awards. TAL also won the Term Life Award for its Lifetime Protection product.

  • MetLife 360 Health won the Innovation Product Award.

  • NobleOak Life won the Overall Direct Life Insurance Excellence Award, the TPD Award for the My Protection Plan - TPD Option Rider, the Customer Service Award for Life Companies and the Income Protection Award for My Protection Plan - IP Cover.

  • Avant Life won the new Tailored Medical Sector Award for Life and TPD Cover.

  • Challenger won the Overall Longevity Cover Excellence Award and the Longevity Product (Non-Investment Linked) Award for Liquid Lifetime Annuity, plus the Innovation Long Term Product Award (Liquid Lifetime RBA cash-linked option) and Client & Adviser Technical Support Award.

  • Optimum Pensions won the Longevity Product (Investment Linked) for its Real Lifetime Pension, while also winning the Tools and Calculators Award.

  • Generation Life won the Overall Investment Bond Excellence Award, Bond Estate Planning Award and Bond Child Policy Award.

  • Australian Unity won the Funeral Bond Award and the Adviser Support Award.