The Future of Life Assurance

Martin Davis

Chief Executive Officer, Openwork

Biography

Openwork is one of the largest financial advisory firms in the UK, with over 2,500 advisers, writing £300 million of premium in 2008. Prior to Openwork Martin was CEO of Zurich Financial Services’s Global Life Emerging Markets businesses, spanning Asia, South America and Middle Eastern markets. Martin also maintained overall responsibility for Zurich International Life, the offshore subsidiary of ZFS, as Chairman. Martin was also a founding Director or Zurich Takaful.

Previously Martin worked as Commercial Director for Sesame Limited, managing over 7,500 IFAs (25 per cent of the UK market). Martin was also a Board Director of Assureweb.

Before joining Sesame, Martin was Executive Vice President, of Corillian International Ltd and spent eight years working in various business management roles for Reuters plc. Martin also served in the Armed Forces for 10 years, reaching the rank of Captain, in many operational theatres including 5 years with Special Forces. Martin is a Non Executive Director of McKinney Rogers International, a leading strategy consultancy.

Stephen Ingledew

Strategy Director, Standard Life

Biography

Stephen Ingledew is the Distribution Strategy Director for Standard Life.

The key elements of his role are both strategic development and channel leadership which involve the following;

• Developing and executing the Standard Life UK distribution and channel strategies
• Leading the development and direction of the Strategic Partnership Sales channel
• Leading the development and direction of the Standard Life direct to customer sales channel
• Leading and executing the strategy to invest in IFA distribution
• Leading the execution of major strategic revenue initiatives and deals in order to capture assets
• Leading industry interface, through leadership and influence

The scope of Stephen’s role reflects the need for Standard Life to develop its’ distribution capacity and capability to deliver the Group’s growth objectives for 2012 and beyond.

Stephen has worked in the UK financial services and wealth management industry since 1984 after graduating in law from university. Over the last twenty years he was worked as financial practitioner, product development director and marketing director for a range of financial institutions such as Friends Provident, Berkeley, Schroders, Frizzell and AMP.

Prior to his recent appointment at Standard Life, Stephen was the Commercial Director of Barclays Financial Planning, the Bank’s regulated financial services channel for all customer segments

Stephen has been a board member of the Institute of Financial Services, the UK industry’s professional body and he also worked for the UK regulator, the Financial Services Authority for three years.

He has been a regular writer for newspapers as well as speaking frequently at industry conferences and on television and radio.

Stephen is married with two young daughters. Time outside the family and the business is spent with Reading Football Club, where he is a Vice President.

Michael Johnson

Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Studies

Biography

Rachel Vahey

Head of Pensions Development, AEGON

Biography

Edward Stuart Brown

Head of Sales, Friends Provident

Biography

Having qualified as a Mining Engineer, Ed worked in the South African gold and platinum mines before returning to the UK to embark on a second career in the Life Assurance industry. Ed joined Friends Provident as part of the original team that set up and ran the direct sales force.

Although Ed has a wide range of experience across the industry his focus and passion remains on life assurance and the protection needs of customers because as he comments:

“It is the foundation of every aspect of good financial planning and one where the customer for a relatively modest out lay can protect themselves and their families from potential financial ruin. Why wouldn't you be passionate about that?”

He is now responsible for all protection sales across Friends Provident.