Friends tracks rise in worker stress levels
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends tracks rise in worker stress levels
A new study from Friends Life reveals that a third of the UK’s working population has called in sick due to stress, with over half of this group having been unable to work because of stress at some point during the last 12 months. Almost half of respondents have felt more stressed since the onset [...]
Friends appoints heritage CEO
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends appoints heritage CEO
Friends Life has appointed Jonathan Moss as chief executive officer of its heritage division, reporting directly to group chief executive officer, Andy Briggs. Mr Moss, who will be joining Friends in early September, has a strong track record in financial services, most recently as chief executive officer of the Phoenix Group where he led a [...]
Friends Life launches £6bn asset management business
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life launches £6bn asset management business
Friends Life has launched Friends Life Investments (FLI), a new in-house asset management business with £6 billion of assets under management. The launch, which has come ahead of schedule, will enable the group to leverage its existing investment capability, investment strategy and asset liability management while supporting the growth of core product areas, such as [...]
ATMs, smartphones and TVs could unlock pension top-up potential
by Gill Montia
Story link: ATMs, smartphones and TVs could unlock pension top-up potential
The UK’s pensions providers need to find new ways for people to top up and manage their pension payments, according to research from Friends Life. A study for Friends by the Future Foundation indicates that millions of Britons are keen to pay into their pensions using an ATM, making deposits in cheques, cash and by [...]
Friends receives Greenwich award for corporate pensions
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends receives Greenwich award for corporate pensions
Friends Life has been named a Greenwich Quality Leader for 2012 for its defined contribution corporate pensions. Greenwich Associates provides decision-makers in financial services with expert advice and Friends received the highest ratings for overall quality from 18 leading employee benefit consultants. The insurer’s managing director of corporate benefits, Colin Williams, comments:”We’re delighted that Friends [...]
Friends Life makes senior appointments
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life makes senior appointments
Friends Life has announced two appointments to the senior management team of its protection business. Mark Anders becomes sales and marketing director for individual protection and David Williams becomes director of group protection; both will report to Steve Payne, managing director of UK protection. Mr Anders will take up his new role at the beginning [...]
“Wearies” to emerge from UK pensions crisis
by Gill Montia
Story link: “Wearies” to emerge from UK pensions crisis
The UK’s impending pensions crisis will result in a generation of “Wearies”, according to Friends Life, with many of tomorrow’s pensioners becoming self-employed consultants, online traders or running odd-job businesses, to make ends meet. “Wearies” or Working, Entrepreneurial and Active Retirees could be forced to continue working into their seventies and beyond due to hardship. [...]
LV= asset management team migrates to Friends Life
by Gill Montia
Story link: LV= asset management team migrates to Friends Life
Friends Life has hired an award winning fixed-income team from Liverpool Victoria to run its new asset management business, set to launch in the second half of 2012. Joining the group in January, Michael Wright, John Hampton, Purna Bhudia and Nigel Bradshaw will be London based and report to Friends Life Investments (FLI) chief investment [...]
Friends Life launches Protect+
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life launches Protect+
Friends Life has today launched Protect+, an individual protection package aimed at the IFA market. The group says it has forged together the best of what was once provided by Friends Provident and its UK life acquisition from AXA, with the new offering spanning income protection, critical illness, life and business protection. In addition, IFAs [...]
Friends launches workplace savings index
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends launches workplace savings index
Friends Life is launching a new workplace savings index next week, which should provide a comprehensive picture of the health of the market, based on figures from schemes run by the group. Using data from over one million Friends’ pension accounts, insights will be presented in four areas of long-term saving: risk, returns, asset diversification [...]
Friends Life relaunches group protection proposition
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life relaunches group protection proposition
Friends Life has relaunched its group protection proposition. The new offering includes group life, group income protection, group critical illness and a flexible benefit offering supported by a range of added-value services aimed at promoting health. These include an employer/employee assistance programme, Best Doctors and a 24-hour seven-day-a-week health information service, provided by Bupa HealthLine. [...]
Friends Life appoints independent director
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life appoints independent director
Friends Life has appointed of Mary Phibbs as an independent director of the company and a member of its risk and compliance committee. A chartered accountant with over 30 years of experience in financial services across the UK, Australia and Asia Pacific, Ms Phibbs returned to the UK in 2008 to join Standard Chartered Bank [...]
Friends Life appoints protection business MD
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life appoints protection business MD
Friends Life has appointed Steve Payne as managing director of its protection business. The newly enlarged Friends Life, formed from the merger of Friends Provident, Bupa Health Assurance (BHA) and business acquired from AXA UK, has also confirmed plans to consolidate its individual protection propositions onto a single platform for the IFA market. Mr Payne [...]
Friends Life appoints HR chief
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life appoints HR chief
Friends Life has appointed Rob Barnett as director, human resources. Mr Barnett joins from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) where he was human resources director for RBS Insurance and latterly, human resources chief operating officer for RBS Group. Friends says it will benefit from his experience in leading transformation and change management, Mr Barnett having [...]
Friends Life appoints investments director
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Life appoints investments director
Friends Life has appointed Colin Tipping to the newly-created position of director, unit linked investments. Mr Tipping joins from BlackRock where he was most recently head of institutional wholesale. In his new role, he will oversee an existing fund strategy and selection team, reporting into Colin Williams, director of corporate. Commenting on his appointment, Mr [...]
Friends Provident relocates ahead of relaunch
by Gill Montia
Story link: Friends Provident relocates ahead of relaunch
Friends Provident is relocating its head office to the One New Change development in the City of London, moving from nearby Wood Street. The location will apparently provide a “fitting home” for the enlarged Friends, following the acquisition of the majority of AXA’s UK life business by parent company, Resolution Ltd, in September. The change, [...]
