Major intermediary group Austbrokers is strengthening its management group to capitalise on the rapid pace of change in the broker market, CEO Mark Searles says. 

The decision to bring together the group’s broker and intermediary distribution operations will help Austbrokers operate more efficiently and grow more effectively, he says.

Bringing together the two divisions – reported first in a Breaking News bulletin by insuranceNEWS.com.au last week – saw GM Acquisitions and Development Fabian Pasquini named Chief Distribution Officer and GM Equity Operations Greg Arms leave the company.

Mr Searles says Mr Pasquini will manage all aspects of broker and intermediary distribution, including acquisitions, partner development and growth initiatives.

Mr Pasquini’s new role follows the appointments last year of former OAMPS CEO Keith McIvor as Chief Broking Officer and former CGU national operations manager Sunil Vohra as COO.

Austbrokers now has its senior management team in place and no other changes are planned at this point, Mr Searles says.

“Austbrokers is a $2 billion broking business and we will continue to evolve as the marketplace changes,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au today.

The management group’s priority remains “delivering services and support to its existing 49 partner businesses while remaining active in the acquisition of broking and related business opportunities”.

Details of the restructure, as well as growth, operational effectiveness and group initiatives, were discussed with Austbrokers members at the group’s three-day annual conference in the Barossa Valley, which ended last night.

Members travelled today to Adelaide to join the members of the IBNA group for the annual AIMS conference, which begins this evening.