ING boosts national sales team

INGhas appointed formerZurich Financial Services Australiasenior executive, Jihad Essa, as national sales manager — a position vacated by former ING national manager for aligned distribution groups, Phil Keown, who recently moved into the role of state manager, NSW.

Head of funds management distribution Jarrod Brown, who Essa reports to, says the group is also set to appoint another senior sales executive and complete the final stages of its recent major restructuring across the area.

Brown says the restructure underlines the group’s commitment to servicing its clients.

“It reflects our increased focus on top/down strategy. We’re increasing our resourcing of our sales division to recognise and support the influence of dealer group heads, researchers and key influences given their top/down influence on flows,” he says.

Essa has been at Zurich since April 1996, where his last role was national sales manager key accounts and wholesale investments. Prior to this he was national business manager master funds and wrap accounts at Zurich.

Brown says ING will shortly appoint another national sales manager to replace Tom Griffiths, who recently became head of employer super.

Another national sales manager, Paula Day, has taken extended leave to travel and will return to the fold in early 2004.