Fidelity Life announced two senior appointments to underline its commitment to improving adviser channels: Leigh Bennett (pictured left) has been named head of underwriting, while Mat Bark (pictured right) has been appointed head of channel enablement, a newly created role.

As part of her promotion, Bennett will be managing the insurer’s 34-strong underwriting team in addition to working closely with the firm’s strategic alliance and adviser business partners. She will report to acting chief insurance officer Adrian Riminton. Bennett has been with Fidelity Life since 2015; prior to this, she worked at ASB Bank and at AMP. Bennett has been named as one of the nominees for the 2023 FSC Emerging Trailblazer Award.

Bark is tasked with shaping the firm’s future adviser channel experience, including business ownership of new digital interfaces and platform innovation. According to his LinkedIn, Bark joins Fidelity Life from AIA NZ where he worked previously as head of existing business. He also held roles at Sovereign, Westpac, KPMG, and Ford. Bark will report to chief sales and service officer Bronwyn Kirwan in his new role.

“Following the delivery of some key transformation activities, we are now heavily focused on our distribution franchise and are delighted to announce the appointment of both Leigh and Mat in these critical leadership roles to help drive and enhance our engagement with advisers,” Kirwan said.

“These two key appointments, together with the recent hire of Campbell Mitchell as incoming CEO, shows we’re a destination for top talent who want to help drive our business forward,” Kirwan said. “We look forward to delivering enhanced experiences and outcomes for advisers and customers alike, as we continue to be driven by our purpose to give New Zealanders certainty to enjoy a more rewarding life.”

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