Career moves: TSB, ICG and others

Embattled TSB chief Paul Pester resigns after IT issues cripple bank

Paul Pester has stepped down from his role as the chief executive of TSB, with immediate effect. The resignation comes after the recent IT meltdown in April which caused problems for customers. He will be replaced by non-executive director Richard Meddings as the interim CEO until a replacement is found.

Working in the company for seven years, Pester said: “The last few months have been challenging for everyone at TSB. However, I want to thank all my colleagues across TSB for their dedication and commitment during this period and for their focus on putting things right for TSB customers.”

Intermediate Capital Group CFO to retire in 2019

London asset management company Intermediate Capital Group has announced the retirement of CFO Philip Keller. He will continue with his role as  CFO until 2019 and is set to retire once a successor is found. Keller has been part of the company since 2006 when he joined  as the CFO.

Standard Chartered hires former CommBank COO Whiteing

Asia-Africa focused bank Standard Chartered has appointed David Whiteing as group COO. This newly expanded role will combine the COO’s team and the global operations team which was previously under the IT department. Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Whiteing was chief information officer at Commonwealth Bank of Australia since 2013. Furthermore, CIO Michael Gorritz will continue to oversee the bank’s innovation and transformation programme.

“These changes reflect two vital objectives – ensuring operational excellence in service to our clients and accelerating our digital transformation. Bringing David on board with a mandate to improve efficiency and deliver better experiences for our clients also gives Michael’s team more space to relentlessly pursue our tech and innovation agenda,” said CEO Bill Winters.

Allianz hires new CFO Fernley Dyson from Ageas

Allianz has appointed Fernley Dyson, current chief financial officer at Ageas as its CFO with effect from 1st January 2019. Dyson will succeed CFO Mark Churchlow, who is retiring after almost 30 years of service with Allianz. Churchlow became the CFO in 2010 and prior to that he worked as director of actuarial & planning and chief actuary. Fernley joined Ageas in 2012 as CFO, prior to which he served as financial management director and risk director for over seven years at Aviva.

Commenting on this appointment, CEO of Allianz, John Dye said: “We are delighted that Fernley is joining our management board to take on the leadership of our Finance teams. He brings with him a wealth of experience in the insurance sector and has a strong track record in the fields of professional and financial services. I would also like to go on record to thank Mark for his tremendous contribution to Allianz over a considerable period, including holding the posts of Chief Actuary and CFO. Mark has played a key role in building our business including, most recently, the strategic partnership with LV.”

Fuller, Smith & Turner FD James Douglas to step down

UK-based Fuller’s brewery announced that James Douglas will leave his post of finance director in December, as he plans to move to Germany. Douglas was the member of the board for the last 11 years. A replacement for his position is yet to be found.

Commenting on his retirement, he said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Fuller’s – it is a truly great business with an exciting future. I wish Michael, Simon, my other board colleagues and everyone at Fuller’s continued success”.

Swiss Re’s Frank O’Neill to step down as CEO for UK & Ireland

Insurance company Swiss Re announced the resignation of Frank O’Neill, chief executive for UK & Ireland with immediate effect. O’Neill left the company to pursue professional challenge outside the company. Peter Elliott, head of life & health for UK & Ireland has been appointed as the interim CEO until a replacement is found. O’Neill has worked with Swiss Re since 1998 where he held roles like regional head for South East Asia, client executive for key North American clients, and head of Africa and the Middle East before becoming the CEO in 2016.

“I would like to thank Frank for his tremendous commitment and contribution to Swiss Re over the last 20 years. We wish him every success in his future endeavours,” said Russell Higginbotham, CEO Reinsurance EMEA of Swiss Re.

Brian J. West appointed CFO of Refinitiv

The financial services provider Refinitiv has announced Brian J. West as its new CFO. West is set to take over the role from 5 November 2018. He is currently the CFO and executive VP of operations at Oscar Insurance. Prior to this, he worked for companies like Nielsen and General Electric in various financial leadership roles including CFO and COO.

“I am pleased that Brian will be joining Refinitiv at a crucial time in our evolution, adding to our leadership team a deep understanding of the investment community and a proven track record of growth and operational excellence with both established companies and fintech start-ups,” said David Craig, president of Refinitiv.

Be Heard Group founder Peter Scott steps down from business

UK media company Be Heard Group announced the resignation of Peter Scott as the chief executive and the member of the board with immediate effect. CFO Simon Pyper will replace Scott as the interim chief executive officer. Scott was the co-founder of WCRS and its parent company, Engine from 2004; he founded Be Heard in 2015. He will continue to work as the strategic adviser and plans to join price comparison company IsMyBillFair as the chairman.
Speaking on his resignation, Scott said: “As the group moves into the next phase of development it seems the right time for new leadership to take the helm. Be Heard has all of the fundamentals and talent in place to grow, significantly, revenue, market share and capabilities in what has become a very dynamic and rapidly changing market place.”

AIB Group  looking for CFO successor

CFO Mark Bourke of Irish banking company, AIB Group, is set to step down from his role in early 2019. He worked with the company for four years, joining in April 2014 as CFO and member of the leadership team. In May 2014, he was promoted to the board of Allied Irish Banks and in December 2017, he was included in the board of AIB Group. The company said that the search for his replacement is in progress.

Ethypharm appoints Emmanuel SCHMIDT as CFO

French pharmaceutical company Ethypharm have recruited a new CFO, Emmanuel Schmidt. In his new role, he will report to President and CEO Hugues Lecat and become the part of the executive committee. Schmidt has 20 years of experience working as CFO for various companies like Elior, Pierre Fabre Pharma, and Star’s Service Group.

Commenting on his appointment, Lecat said: “I am very pleased to welcome Emmanuel as Ethypharm’s new Chief Financial Officer. Emmanuel’s deep knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry as well as his financial acumen make him highly qualified to take on the CFO role. Emmanuel is a perfect addition to the executive team to foster the growth of Ethypharm and pursue its Transformation.”

Eve Sleep appoints James Sturrock as new CEO

UK-based ecommerce company Eve Sleep, has hired Jams Sturrock as its CEO. The announcement comes 2 months after Jas Bagniewski, co-founder and chief executive, resigned from her role. Prior to this, Sturrock was the managing director at Moonpig, the online gifts and card retailer, since 2014. Before joining Moonpig, he served in various senior divisional and marketing roles at Direct Line Group where he worked for 7 years.

“I am delighted that such a high calibre chief executive in James is joining the business. His proven experience in leading and developing online companies will be essential in driving eve forward to seize the substantial market opportunity ahead,” said Paul Pindar, chairman at Eve Sleep.

Finnair appoints Topi Manner as new CEO

Finland-based airline company Finnair has appointed Topi Manner as its CEO, effective 1 January 2019. The move comes after current CEO Pekka Vauramo announced his new appointment to Metso group as chief executive. CFO Pekka Vähähyyppä will serve as the interim CEO till Manner takes over. Prior to joining Finnair, Manner worked with financial group Nordea where he was the head of personal banking as well as member of the group executive management.

Finnair’s Chairman Jouko Karvinen said: “Topi Manner has extensive experience in both private and corporate customer business, and he has played a strong role in the digital transformation and customer service development of his bank. We believe Topi’s people-centric leadership is an excellent fit for a service company like Finnair, which is all about people, both customers and personnel.”

Pascal Perritaz appointed CFO of Cembra Money Bank

Pascal Perritaz is set to replace Rémy Schimmel as the CFO of Switzerland-based Cembra Money Bank effective 1 October 2018. Current CFO Schimmel will leave Cembra to proceed on a new professional path. With over 22 years of experience, Perritaz was associated with Zurich Insurance  serving senior leadership roles including CFO Switzerland, and Middle East and Africa as well as the recently held position of CFO global corporate.

The bank’s CEO Robert Oudmayer said: “With his impressive track record, Pascal Perritaz will be a valuable addition to the Management Board of Cembra Money Bank. At the same time, I would like to thank Rémy Schimmel for his contribution and commitment to the Bank over the past two years and wish him all the best for the future.”

Scapa Group finance chief to step down

UK-based Scapa Group has announced that CFO Graham Hardcastle will leave the company at the end of this month to pursue other interests. He will continue to be associated with the company until November 30. Hardcastle will be replaced by Oskar Zahn who currently works as the CFO of Spearhead International. Zahn has experience working with Telefex, British Airways and Georgia-Pacific where he held various senior leadership roles.

Scapa’s CEO Heejae Chae said: “On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Graham for his contribution to the Company and we wish him all the best in his future activities. I am delighted to welcome Oskar to the role of Chief Financial Officer at Scapa. His breadth of knowledge and experience in the various industry sectors will be of great value to the Company as we pursue our strategy for growth.”

Jenny Galimberti the new CEO of JW Anderson

London-based fashion label JW Anderson has announced the appointment of Jenny Galimberti as the new chief executive officer. She will replace Simon Whitehouse who left the label last year for personal reasons.

Prior to this, Galimberti worked with French label Louis Vuitton as  communications and events director. She was also the member of Vuitton’s executive committee and oversaw global communications and brand development. Before that, Galimberti was also associated with  Alfred Dunhill as chief marketing officer and in senior roles at Gucci, L’Oréal, Swarovski and Prada working in communications and brand development.

Haydale Graphene makes Keith Broadbent COO

Keith Broadbent has been promoted from managing director to COO of UK-based Haydale Graphene. He joined the company 12 months back as the MD of resins, polymers and composites SBU. Other moves include appointment of David Banks from non-executive chairman to interim executive chairman and Non-Executive Director Roger Humm as the senior independent non-executive director.

Speaking on Broadbent’s promotion, the company said: “He has demonstrated his strong commercial and operational expertise, particularly in improving efficiencies across the group’s UK capabilities, introducing and bringing on new customers, and creating a seamless one team approach incorporating all aspects of the Haydale offering.”

LDM Global appoints experienced technology leader as new chief executive

UK-based legal service provider LDM Global appointed Conor Looney as CEO replacing founder and CEO Chris O’Reilly. O’Reilly will continue working for LDM in an advisory role. With over 20 years of experience, Looney held leading roles including CEO, operations director, and marketing director in Europe and the Caribbean working with companies like Digicel and Mars.

Commenting on Looney’s appointment, O’Reilly said: “His experience in integrating multiple businesses and people across markets to ensure focus and efficiency, while passionately focusing on the customer first is going to be a boon to both our staff and our clients.”

Collagen Solutions appoints new COO

Collagen Solutions, the manufacturer of biomaterials and regenerative medicines, has elevated Tom Hyland as the COO who will join Chief Business Officer Lou Ruggiero on the board. Hyland has a vast experience working on collagen chemistry and production, and validation and engineering requirements of collagen-based medical devices. Before joining Collagen in 2014, he worked with companies such as Johnson and Johnson Medical, Microsulis, Intercell Biomedical, Alere Technologies and Invitrogen.

James Hardie Industries makes Jack Truong CEO

James Hardie Industries, the Irish building material company, has elevated the position of Jack Truong to chief executive officer. He is set to replace CEO Louis Gries who will leave after 13 years of service at the firm by the end of 2019 fiscal year. Truong oversees the firm’s Asia Pacific fibre cement business as well as Europe building products business. Till he takes over the responsibility of CEO Truong will handle the global business as the president and chief operating officer.

Senvion appoints Yves Rannou as CEO

Hamburg-based Senvion has recruited Yves Rannou as its chief executive officer replacing interim CEO Manav Sharma. With over 20 years of experience, Rannou has held various senior executive roles including president and chief executive officer of GE Renewable Energy’s Hydro division and senior vice president of Alstom’s hydro and wind business.

“We are delighted to announce Yves’ appointment as CEO given his deep experience working in renewables. Yves is a proven executive whose skills and expertise ideally complement the existing management team. We are confident that he is the right leader to execute Senvion’s growth strategy and position the business for future success,” commented company’s Chairman Steven Holliday.

Curtis Banks makes good progress in first half as founder steps down

Bristol-based pension scheme provider Curtis Banks has announced that CEO Rupert Curtis is set to leave the company by the end of 2019. He will be replaced by Will Self who is currently the CEO of Suffolk Life and deputy CEO of Curtis Banks. Curtis is the founder of the company and will be part of the company as a senior adviser.

Speaking on his retirement, Curtis said: “As this is my final set of results as chief executive, I would like to thank all of our valued shareholders for their continued support, and I am very pleased to have a strong successor in Will Self who will start in this position in January 2019. I am delighted to confirm that I will remain actively involved as a senior adviser to the business.”

Learning Technologies COO to step down

UK-based software company Learning Technologies’ COO Dale Solomon announced his retirement as he plans to relocate overseas with his family. He will retire in November and the company has not planned to fill his position. After becoming the COO in 2014, Solomon was responsible for the company’s talent management solution, PeopleFluent’s integration process.

Dietmar Siemssen appointed Gerresheimer CEO

German manufacturing company Gerresheimer has announced that Dietmar Siemssen is appointed as the CEO. He will join the management board in his new role from 1 November 2018. Prior to this, Siemssen served as CEO at Stabilus which he joined in 2011. Before that, Siemssen was at Continental from 1994 where he held various senior management roles.

Furthermore, the company also announced that speaker of the management board and CFO Rainer Beaujean will step down to pursue new professional challenges outside the company.
Speaking on the new appointment, Chairman Dr. Axel Herberg said: “By bringing Dietmar Siemssen on board, we have gained a seasoned manager with international experience to lead Gerresheimer AG for some time to come. I am confident that, under his leadership, Gerresheimer will continue on its current growth trajectory and effectively execute the strategic expansion plans underway.”

Tasker takes Graeme Lalley from GRP as COO

London-based Tasker Insurance Group has hired Global Risk Partners’ Chief Information Officer Graeme Lalley as its COO. He will work along with Barry Reynolds of Tasker & Partners, Ann Bowyer of Tasker Insurance Brokers and Robert Munden of Gresham Underwriting. In his previous role, Lalley oversaw IT, operations, data and post-acquisition integration of businesses and helped the company buy 10 brokers and a managing general agent. Prior to this, he worked at Bluefin as the IT and operations director.

Lalley said: “I’m joining an excellent, well respected and trusted team with a strong reputation in the market. It’s great to be able to bring my skills and experience to a business to help it grow and innovate throughout the next phase of its development.”

Betsson AB seeks new financial lead as Hilsen returns to Telenor

Sweden-based Betsson AB has revealed that its Group CFO Kaaren Hilsen has decided to step down. She will take up her new role as chief executive of Telenor in Sweden, an organisation she had served as CFO from 2013-2017. Hilsen joined Betsson AB’s executive team in 2017, succeeding group financial lead Fredrik Rüdén. Hilsen will serve a six-month notice period while the organisation begins its search for a new group finance leader.

Commenting on Hilsen’s move, Betsson AB’s Group CEO Pontus Lindwall said: “I would like to thank Kaaren for her contribution in getting Betsson back on track. I respect that she has received an offer she couldn’t refuse and wish her all the best for the future. Betsson is a stronger company than it was a year ago and I am sure that we will soon recruit a new CFO who wants to be part of taking Betsson to the next level.”

Thomas Funke new CFO of Unitymedia

Media giant Liberty Global’s subsidiary Unitymedia has taken on board Thomas Funke, vice president accounting and finance operations as chief financial officer. Funke will take up office immediately. He will also become part of the management board and replace Winfried ‘Winni’ Rapp who has been appointed as Unitymedia’s new CEO taking over from Lutz Schüler who is to become the new chief operating office of UK-based Virgin Media. Both Unitymedia and Virgin Media are subsidiaries of Liberty Global.

Velocity Composites CEO moved to new technology role; replacement sought

UK-based Velocity Composites announced that its CEO Jonathan Bridges will move to the newly created role of chief technology officer, as the company has reshuffled its board. Bridges’ responsibility will include overseeing business development, the research and development department and collaborations companies established in the aerospace industry who could be potential partners interested in expansion.

The company also announced that CFO Alan Kershaw will quit the company but will stay until the handover is complete. Non-Executive Chairman Mark Mills will become executive chairman on an interim basis until a CEO is brought on board. Meera Parmar has joined the company and will serve as a non-executive director with immediate effect.

 

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