Asteron Life’s parent company Resolution Life Australasia and Acenda have announced the appointment of Chris de Bruin as the future Group CEO of the Acenda Group, which will include Acenda (formerly MLC Life Insurance) and Resolution Life Australasia.
It has also appointed four future Independent Non-Executive Directors.
The company says the CEO and director appointments follow Nippon Life’s announcement in December 2024 that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Resolution Life (see: Resolution Life Bought by Nippon Life).
“On completion of this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to occur in the second half of 2025, Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia will merge to form one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand, the Acenda Group,” the companies state.
Resolution Life Australasia’s completion of the Asteron Life acquisition was announced in February this year (see: Resolution Life Completes Asteron Life Acquisition).
The companies says de Bruin brings a wealth of experience, from a 25-year career in executive roles in the financial services sector globally. Most recently, he was Chief Executive of Consumer & Business Banking at Westpac.
Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia also thanked the current Resolution Life Australasia CEO, Tim Tez and Acenda CEO, Kent Griffin “..for their exceptional leadership and dedication during their tenure.” Griffin and Tez will remain with the company for a period and will support de Bruin with his onboarding.
Earlier the companies had announced that Catherine Dubé, David Stephen, Melissa Babbage and Rosheen Garnon had been appointed as future Independent Non-Executive Directors of the Acenda Group.
The new appointments will take effect upon completion of Nippon Life’s transaction – subject to regulatory approval – along with the appointment of Craig Dunn as future Chair of the Acenda Group.