Long-serving Transact CEO Jonathan Gunby is to retire in March and will hand over to colleague and chief development officer Tom Dunbar.

Transact is one of the leading platforms in the Financial Planning sector.

Mr Dunbar will take over as CEO of Integrated Financial Arrangements Ltd, the operator of the Transact platform.

Mr Gunby joined the company in 2011 and has steered Transact’s Funds under Direction from £10bn to £65.9bn (as of December).

He was a key member of the team who floated the holding company in 2018, working with highly respected CEO Ian Taylor who died unexpectedly in 2022.

Mr Gunby retired from the board at the end of the 2024 financial year. After 40 years working in financial services he said that at the age 65, he and his wife are looking forward to spending more time on the beach.

Mr Gunby recruited Mr Dunbar as chief development officer in April 2021 as his potential successor.

Mr Dunbar joined the Transact board in April 2023 as part of a succession plan. He has been responsible for sales, marketing, change and client operations. He became deputy CEO in 2024.

He joined NMG Consulting in 2008 and became a partner in 2014. He advised platforms, fund managers and life insurers on portfolio and competitive strategy in the UK and globally and then joined Royal London as group strategy director in 2017 and then RLI distribution director in 2019. In 2021 he joined Transact. 

The Gunby family continue to be Integrafin shareholders and Mr Gunby will remain available to provide on-going support to the business.

Mr Gunby said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Transact success story and wish colleagues, advisers, and customers all the absolute best for the future. Tom has excelled in his role at Transact and I’m entirely confident that I am leaving Transact in extremely capable hands.”

Richard Cranfield, chair of IHP Group, the parent holding company, said: “We thank Jonathan for his dedication to and hard work in the business and through his board contributions. He has delivered material and profitable growth for the business during his tenure, navigating significant political and economic change, alongside the impacts of the pandemic and a highly competitive platform market. We wish Jonathan and his wife Cheryl all the best in retirement.

“Tom has impressed me and the other board members. We are delighted to appoint Tom as CEO and wish him every success in his new role.”

Financial Planning Today Analysis: The handover of power at Transact from Jonathan Gunby, who is retiring, to new CEO Tom Dunbar has so far gone probably as smoothly as any company would want. Almost a text book scenario. The company has seen huge growth in the past 15 years as the platform sector has mushroomed and Mr Dunbar will now need to steer it on a new course. The team which piloted the company to a successful float is now moving on and competition in the platform sector remains intense and that will not change. Mr Dunbar has his work cut out in maintaining momentum but with a good team around him has every chance of success. Mr Gunby will also be not far away to offer sage words of advice from time to time, no doubt.