Generation Life has appointed Robert Coulter as national key accounts manager to strengthen relationships with licensee and advisers.
Coulter joins from Allianz Retire+ where he was head of key accounts for three years developing key platform and licensee partnerships for the firm, and brings a deep expertise of the wealth management sector through his time spent at banks and platforms, such as AMP, MLC Australia, ING and BT Financial Group.
On top of this, he also spent a number of years operating very closely with the financial advice industry through a two-year stint at Ignition Advice where he was head of clients, APAC and eight years with ipac as head of corporate development, as well as a year and a half at the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA), prior to its merger with the Financial Planning Association (FPA) that formed the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) in 2023.
Stepping into Gen Life, Coulter will focus on key platform and institutional collaboration, approved product list (APL) positioning and driving adviser adoption of the firm’s investment bond and investment-linked lifetime income solutions.
The firm explained that his appointment comes at a critical time as advisers are now helping clients navigate the intergenerational wealth transfer as well as key changes to superannuation and other tax settings that are increasing the demand for tax-effective retirement solutions for Australia’s aging population.
Generation Life general manager of distribution Brendon Rodda said the firm is pleased to have Coulter join, noting the benefit of his deep adviser ties in strengthening relationships with the industry.
“He’s spent more than 20 years building the kind of lasting relationships that advisers and licensees value most, and he understands what it takes to translate those relationships into meaningful outcomes for clients.
“It’s a hugely exciting time to be joining Generation Life. The business is rapidly expanding, adviser demand is at record levels, and the tax and retirement landscape is shifting in ways that play directly to our strengths. Robert will play a key role in sustaining our growth momentum while continuing to deliver the high-quality services our advisers and licensees expect.”
Coulter said on his appointment: “Generation Life has built an outstanding reputation for delivering flexible, tax-effective investment solutions for Australians, and its position in the market right now is genuinely compelling. Advisers are looking for solutions that can help them navigate an increasingly challenging retirement and tax environment, and few businesses are better placed to offer that.
“My focus has always been on building strong, trusted relationships with platforms, institutional providers, licensees, and advice practices. I see a significant opportunity to deepen those alliances and help advisers deliver greater certainty and long-term value for their clients. I’m looking forward to building on Generation Life’s strong momentum across the advice and wealth channels.”
This appointment marks the second time Gen Life has mined the Allianz Retire+ talent pool recently after Rodda joined from the firm in October. He had been the chief distribution officer at Allianz Retire+ for less than two years but left for Gen Life to take up the distribution GM role.
