The founder and former head of the IFA Centre has joined Defaqto's wealth and protection team.
Gill Cardy has become the company's insight consultant where she will develop new business opportunities and manage consultancy projects.
She will be focusing on retirement income and platforms, including its Platform Star Ratings.
She will lead panel and due diligence consultancy projects, represent Defaqto at events for financial advisers and author "thought-leadership articles" and research publications.
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Ms Cardy, who has 20 years of experience in the financial advice sector, said: "I had been using Defaqto's products and services since my first days as an IFA nearly 20 years ago – Defaqto and I have been in this market for almost the same number of years.
"During this time there have been many changes in our industry, and Defaqto's technology, quality of data and range of services have consistently led the way for advisers.
"Now I am privileged to be joining Defaqto's consultancy team and I look forward to helping financial advisers and planners as well as providers and all their clients make better financial decisions."
Zahid Bilgrami, chief executive officer at Defaqto, said: "It is with great pleasure that we are announcing Gill's appointment. Defaqto has worked with Gill on a variety of projects in the past, and adding such an accomplished consultant to our growing wealth team will give us the capacity to serve the growing requirements of advisers and product providers in terms of consultancy, research and panel work."   

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