Standard Life, part of the Phoenix Group, has appointed Dean Butler to a newly-created role of managing director of retail direct.

He will focus on enhancing Standard Life’s pension consolidation offering.

Mr Butler will report to Colin Williams, managing director for pensions and savings at the business, and will be one of three leaders looking after trading channels.

The others are Gail Izat, managing director for workplace, and Chris Hudson, managing director of retail intermediary, who joined the company in May.

Savings and retirement provider Phoenix has upped its activity around the Standard Life brand since acquiring it in 2021.

It recently launched a new TV ad focused on the theme of pension consolidation as well as announcing it will become the new headline partner of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life from 2023.

Mr Butler was formerly head of digital strategy and delivery at M&G’s wealth planner M&G Wealth. He previously worked for a number of organisations, including HSBC.

He said: “I am excited to start a role in which I can help ensure customers are in the best possible position to make informed decisions about their savings. There’s scope to build on recent activity designed to raise the profile of the Standard Life brand and examine how we position Standard Life as a destination for people looking to consolidate their pensions.”

Mr Williams said: “Dean’s extensive experience and track-record when it comes to providing customer-centric services speaks for itself, and I’m delighted to have him as a member of my leadership team.”

Standard Life is part of savings and retirement provider Phoenix Group. The brand was sold to the provider by Standard Life Aberdeen in February 2021 as part of a branding review of its businesses.

Phoenix claims to be the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business, with £300bn of assets under administration and 13m customers.