Executive appointments

The CommonwealthBank has appointed Michael Harte as its new group executive, technology services.

Harte has held several senior information and technology positions in financial services both in Australia and overseas with corporations such as Citigroup.

He moves to the Commonwealth Bank from his role as chief information officer with PNC Financial Services, which required him to focus on investment solutions and service delivery for the global investment funds administrator.

Harte will be responsible for implementing a technology strategy to enhance the methods the Commonwealth Bank uses to interact with its customers.

He begins at the Commonwealth Bank in April.

The national investment sales team of Zurich Financial Services has grown with a new business development manager being appointed in each of the firm’s New South Wales, Victorian, and Western Australian offices.

The New South Wales wholesale sales team has expanded with the appointment of Ross Crocker, who was previously an institutional business development manager in the UK with Morley Funds Management. He has also worked as a research analyst with Deutsche Bank AG.

Brendan Prowse joins Zurich’s Victorian operations from his role as business development manager with Fidelity Investments. He has also been a business development manager at AMP Financial Planning.

Zurich’s Western Australian sales team has been boosted by the addition of Paul Stojanovic.

Immediately prior to joining Zurich he was a business development manager at Professional Investment Services and has worked at Sealcorp/Asgard as well.

Michael Keyte has been chosen to take on the newly created role of marketing manager at HealthIndustry Plan (HIP ).

Keyte goes to HIP with over 25 years experience in the superannuation industry with the majority of this time, 20 years, spent at Pillar Administration (formerly known as NSW State Super Administrationauthority).

Keyte previously worked at HIP on a short-term contract when he left Pillar after declining the opportunity to relocate to Wollongong with the rest of the group.

Immediately prior to his return to HIP, Keyte was business development manager at

State SuperFinancial Services.

At HIP he will be responsible for expanding the super fund’s market share, and making sure the services offered by the fund are allowing existing members to get the most from their superannuation.

UBS has appointed two new members to its Debt Capital Markets team in Sydney.

Fergus Blackstock joins the investment bank as executive director. He has eight years experience in debt capital markets and most recently worked in HSBC’s London office.

His responsibilities at UBS will include providing debt products for financial sector customers who borrow from both domestic and global markets.

Dare Whalley steps into the position of director at the bank and will be responsible for origination in the local infrastructure and utilities sector.

Whalley has worked at TXU Australia where he was assistant treasurer, and at ANZ Investment Bank where he was a senior relationship manager in charge of infrastructure and utilities activities.

Vincent Stranges is Australian Unity Investment’s (AUI) new head of strategic research.

Stranges, who most recently was head of product management at AUI, has been with the company for six years.

Prior to joining AUI he was at AXA Australia in various senior product management roles, and was also involved in corporate regulation and fund raising at the Australian Securities andInvestments Commission.

In the newly created position, Stranges will be responsible for identifying and assessing investment product opportunities in Australia and abroad.

Trust Company of Australia has appointed Victoria Silva as its technical services and paraplanning manager.

Silvia brings over 10 years financial planning industry experience to the newly created role.

Prior to joining Trust she was a business development manager with Spectrum Super.

Silvia has also run her own financial advisory business in the past.