UniSuper appoints first chief strategy and marketing officer

UniSuper has brought on a new chief strategy and marketing officer off the back of a restructure of its org chart.

Anand Thomas joins the organisation from MLC Life Insurance, where he was previously the chief customer officer of the Bancassurance, digital and direct insurance businesses. It was a two-year role that saw him taking a lead role in the demerger from NAB, where he’d previously overseen these divisions.  

Thomas’ 20-year career also includes strategy, business development, project direction, product management and department leadership roles across NAB and ANZ. He’s also undertaken customer experience, marketing and large-scale program management work not only in Australia, but also Asia.

He indirectly replaces Tim Anderson, who left UniSuper in May after holding the role of executive manager of marketing and product for more than five years. His departure came off the back of a review of UniSuper’s organisational structure in April.

UniSuper CEO, Kevin O’Sullivan, said Thomas will develop and drive the fund’s strategy. He officially took up the post on 22 July.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Anand to UniSuper. He brings with him a wealth of commercial experience and is clearly a strategic, long-term thinker who will add enormous value and depth to the leadership team,” O’Sullivan stated.

UniSuper’s organisation structure, completed in April, was described by O’Sullivan in April as a move ensuring the group best responded to the changing competitive landscape and regulatory environment and kept member interests top of mind.

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Changes included promoting former tech chief, Anna Leibel, to chief technology and delivery officer, as well as creating chief operating officer and ‘chief commercial officer’ roles, the latter of which covered strategy, product and marketing. It’s this position Thomas now holds.

UniSuper also retains a chief customer officer,  Lee Scales, as well as chief investment officer, John Pearce.

MLC meanwhile, recently confirmed Perpetual's group executive of marketing, Kylie Smith, will join its team in August as it works to build independent from the NAB business.

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