Advice network Openwork is expanding its wealth channel team with two new senior appointments, a move which it says will ‘enhance’ its capabilities and support for advisers.


Abbie Gibson joins, as head of wealth advice and sales processes, from Quilter, where she ran the wealth relationship management team.

She has experience in sales processes, compliance and governance and will focus on “enhancing the team’s operations to increase productivity and add value to adviser businesses”.
 
Alison Bruford has been appointed head of channel marketing and will be responsible for developing the wealth proposition’s marketing strategy as well as supporting advisers with marketing to service their clients.

She joins from BlackRock where she was vice president, product marketing EMEA and has previously worked for Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management, Invesco Perpetual and Pictet Asset Management.

Mike Gummerson, the manager of Openwork’s Business Transition and Practice Productivity teams as well as Wealth Development Manager, has decided to retire at the end of the year.

He returned to Openwork in 2010 having previously run his own consultancy business.

He started his career at Allied Dunbar before moving to AXA and Prudential.

Mike Morrow, wealth and platform director, said: “We are moving forward and enhancing our capabilities and support to our advisers after carefully considering the changes.

“The two new appointments bring fresh ideas and innovation to our wealth team and their combined experience and diverse skill sets will be an asset to the advisers across our network.
 
“Mike has been an incredible asset to the business and is highly regarded by advisers and his colleagues.

“His replacement will have big shoes to fill when he stops work at the end of the year and we all wish him well in retirement.”
 
Ms Gibson said: “I am delighted to be joining Openwork and have been enormously impressed by its vision and the direction of the business. 

“We are all engaged in building an exciting future for the network and I look forward to working with colleagues up and down the country.”
 
Ms Bruford added: “I am looking forward to working closely with advisers across the country and supporting them so that they can continue to thrive and grow in this exciting and challenging market.”
 
Openwork Limited has over 3,900 financial advisers operating across the UK.

It operates as a directly authorised, multi-panel distribution network.