Australian Unity Investments (AUI) has strengthened its retail and institutional teams with a number of new appointments.
As part of the changes, AUI has created a new business development role within its retail division, appointing former regional manager for Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia Daniel Thomas to head of health sales.
Thomas will be responsible for developing a health insurance referral program with both dealer groups and financial advisers on behalf of AUI and Australian Unity Healthcare.
In addition, AUI’s former state manager for New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Damen Purcell has been appointed head of retail distribution, with responsibility for further expanding AUI’s distribution services to advisers.
AUI head of retail Cameron Dickman said there were benefits in using the broader strengths of the Australian Unity group to provide additional services for planners to offer their clients.
He said strengthening its retail business put AUI in a good position to also adapt to the changing needs of financial planners and outcomes of the various government reviews.
Meanwhile, AUI’s institutional business has hired Ciaran McAssey to the newly-created job of head of institutional sales, reporting to general manager of institutional business and joint ventures Adam Coughlan.
The former director of distribution at Bennelong Funds Management, McAssey will be responsible for the growth of AUI’s two international equities joint ventures, Wingate Asset Management and the Asian equities business Seres Asset Management.
McAssey will also promote AUI’s property asset management to the institutional market.
“AUI and its joint venture partners now have mandates totalling over $5 billion and we are currently developing additional roles to support an increased level of service for our institutional business and expect to announce these shortly,” Coughlan said.
