Allianz Retire+ hires sales lead

Allianz Retire+ has recruited a new distribution head to lead its wealth management arm hiring from PIMCO.

The retirement specialist said the appointment of Brendon Rodda to the chief distribution role further strengthens this part of the business.

Allianz Australia Life Insurance chief executive Adrian Stewart said Rodda will oversee the delivery of its flagship solution, Allianz Guaranteed Income for Life (AGILE) to the advice community as demand for retirement solutions increases.

Stewart said twenty years of experience in financial services has given Rodda a deep understanding of the wealth industry.

The recruit joins PIMCO, where he oversaw the global wealth management distribution strategy at PIMCO as executive vice president.

Throughout his nine years with the investment manager, he built and fostered broad relations across the industry, including dealer group heads, platform distribution partners and key market participants.

Before that, Rodda spent four years at Macquarie as a national key account manager and about the same amount of time at MLC Investment Management as a senior investment specialist.

Stewart noted a big increase in advisers seeking scenario modelling for their clients' portfolios since launching AGILE on the HUB24 platform last November.

The solution is available to 4,678 financial advisers across 26 licensee-approved product lists.

"This activity is encouraging as we work to deliver greater access to advisers through our partnership with HUB24," Stewart said

PIMCO was acquired by Allianz SE in 2000 and operates as an autonomous subsidiary.

Last November, the retirement group appointed two Challenger executives to the newly created role of head of group retirement solutions for client delivery.

Catherine van der Veen and Lucy Foster jointly manage client relationships within the business' institutional division.

Fintan Thornton, left Allianz Retire+ as head of institutional solutions to take up the role of chief member officer at CBHS Health Fund.

This health insurer looks after past and present Commonwealth Bank employees and their families.