Birmingham-based financial services firm appoints new chair and CFO
Financial services firm Wesleyan Group has made two appointments to the Board to support its ambitious growth strategy.
Ian Gladman is joining the Birmingham-based group as chair and Marco Groot Wassink as chief financial officer.
Appointed chair designate of Wesleyan’s Board of Directors, Ian will formally succeed Nathan Moss in April following completion of the outgoing chair’s nine-year term.
He brings more than 30 years of senior financial services experience, spanning investment banking, strategy, and wealth management at firms including J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, UBS and Old Mutual. Most recently, Ian founded, led and now chairs Hurst Point Group - a wealth management business with £10 billion of assets under advice or management and around 120 financial advisers and investment managers.
Ian Gladman, chair designate at Wesleyan, said: “I am very honoured to be joining Wesleyan as chair to help the brilliant people who work in the society and the core professions that they serve.
“With a proud 180 year history as a mutual and deep expertise in its specialisms, the Society is embedding new technology and charting a course to broaden its offering and enhance access to financial support and advice for its growing member base. I look forward to working with the Board and management team in developing and executing on this strategy.”
Marco has been appointed as Wesleyan's CFO and a member of the Wesleyan Board. He joins from Legal & General where he was CFO of the financial services provider’s retail division.
Prior to L&G, Marco held senior finance and risk roles at Aegon, including CFO for Aegon Ireland and chief risk officer for Aegon Asia in Hong Kong. He replaces Nathan Beckett, who is leaving Wesleyan at the end of April after 17 years with the Group.
Marco Groot Wassink, CFO at Wesleyan, said: “Wesleyan’s commitment to enhancing its market- leading proposition is ensuring it can meet the complex financial needs of its customers in our more digital world. I’m excited to use my experience to help the Group accelerate its transformation and deliver more exceptional client experiences in the years to come.”
Mario Mazzocchi, group chief executive at Wesleyan, added: “Ian’s and Marco’s experience at some of world’s most prominent financial institutions will be invaluable as we pursue our strategy.
“We’re continuing to evolve our offering to professions while investing heavily in our wealth management capabilities and expanding adviser access to our With Profits Growth Fund, all with the goal of creating brighter financial futures for our customers.
“On behalf of all of us at Wesleyan, I’d like to thank Nathan Moss and Nathan Beckett for their outstanding contributions to our business. As chair, Nathan Moss’ leadership has helped position us for long-term success, while Nathan Beckett has had an immeasurable impact in roles at both Wesleyan Group and Practice Plan Group over his almost two-decade tenure.”
