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Zurich grows sales team

Zurich Financial Services Australia has expanded its national sales team through a key promotion and 11 appointments.

NSW Business Development Manager (BDM) Nathan Taggart has become Head of Strategic Development, reporting to Zurich Life & Investments Head of Distribution Kristine Brooks.

In NSW Zurich has appointed Annqua Murray and James O’Dwyer as BDMs and Liz Versace as a Business Support Officer. Ms Murray joins from TAL, where she worked as a sales development specialist, while Mr O’Dwyer comes from an advice background. Ms Versace was previously new business team leader at OnePath.

Tanya Woolnough joins as a Queensland-based BDM. She was previously in the same role at AMP.

In Victoria Zurich has appointed Emily Cossignani and Andrew Roberts as BDMs, while Sarah Nichols has been promoted to the same role. Tim Atley joins as Strategic Accounts Manager and Heena Mulchandani has been appointed a Business Development Associate.

Ms Cossignani has joined from AIA Australia, where she worked in business development support roles. Ms Nichols joined Zurich’s general insurance division five years ago before becoming a business development associate with the insurer’s life business in early 2014.

Mr Roberts was formerly national insurance manager at NAB Financial Planning, while Mr Atley was head of sales and operations at comparison website Lifebroker. Ms Mulchandani joins Zurich from a paraplanning role at Salt Financial Group.

In WA the insurer has appointed Richard Burton and Steve Coyle as BDMs. Mr Burton was previously part of Westpac’s mortgage broking team, while Mr Coyle ran his own financial planning business.

Ms Brooks says the appointments follow Zurich’s recent acquisition of Macquarie Life and the formation of several important distribution relationships.

“This investment in the size of our team allows us to fully support our growing network of independent financial advisers and bank-aligned partners,” she said.

“The appointments come prior to Zurich revamping and refreshing its products this year and more fully integrating the products acquired through the Macquarie Life acquisition.”