Zurich Financial Services Australia Limited (Zurich) has further strengthened its Life Risk sales team with the appointment of four new Business Development Managers across the New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian regions.
Ms. Amy Aleksic and Mr. Matt McDonnell have joined Zurich’s New South Wales sales team from previous roles within the business. Amy most recently held the role of Distribution Implementation Manager with Zurich Life & Investments, where she built strong relationships with dealer groups, platforms and researchers. Her eight years’ experience in the financial services industry also includes Business Development Manager and Financial Planner at Commonwealth Financial Planning.
Matt McDonnell has been promoted to Business Development Manager, replacing the vacancy left by Nathan Taggart, who has moved in to the Strategic Accounts team. Matt joined Zurich in 2007 and has more than 10 years’ experience in financial services, gained through roles in banking, client services and key adviser relationship management. Most recently, Matt has served as Business Development Associate with the NSW Life Risk sales team, and team leader of Zurich’s Key Account Consultants team, overseeing premium service and relationship management offerings to our platinum advisers, nationally.
Ms. Kristine Brooks, Head of Retail Sales for Zurich’s Life and Investments business, said “Zurich’s Life and Investments business has been on a sustained growth trajectory over the last few years. The key to our success has been through talented and hard-working team members like Amy and Matt, who have successfully tailored our proposition to the individual needs of our distribution partners.”
The life risk sales team in Queensland has also been boosted with the appointment of Mr. David Carter as new Business Development Manager, replacing the vacancy left by Mr. Reece Foster, who has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager, QLD. Mr. Carter has a wealth of experience in the financial services industry, working for six years with Aviva in the UK, and most recently as Business Development Manager with BT Financial in Brisbane.
“The expansion of our Life Risk sales team to include these talented individuals will help Zurich continue to deliver its market leading solutions and better service the needs of financial advisers,” said Ms. Brooks.
Ms. Karli Mann rounds off Zurich’s exciting new appointments, being promoted to the role of Business Development Manager for Victoria. Karli has been an extremely valuable asset to the Victorian Life Risk sales team since starting with Zurich as Business Development Associate in 2014. She has more than seven years of experience in the financial planning industry, previously working as a Paraplanner with Crowe Horwath International, which has given Karli an exceptional understanding of the advice process and, more importantly, an understanding of her clients and their challenges. She puts a great deal of work into tailoring solutions to help financial advisers build better strategies for their clients, and better practices within their businesses.
Ms. Brooks says Karli embodies all the positive attributes of the next generation of industry professionals.
“Karli’s enthusiasm and passion for financial advice and its evolution is infectious. She genuinely cares for her advisers and lives and breathes the Zurich philosophy of working with advisers as true business partners,” said Ms. Brooks.
“Karli embodies much of the great and dynamic aspects of our industry. She is a true professional and continues to contribute to the development of our adviser network.”
“All of our exciting new appointments have been made in line with Zurich’s commitment to growing talent from within, as well as recruiting the best and brightest from the market.”
Source: Zurich
