Mercer has made two internal leadership appointments to its Pacific team to drive a business-wide approach to product and innovation, and increase collaboration between the firm’s investments and retirement businesses.
Mercer’s former retirement business leader, Guy Thorburn, has been appointed head of product and innovation.
He will be directing talent, investments, retirement, and financial services together with innovation, product development, and product management capabilities from across the firm.
Commenting on the appointment, managing director and pacific market leader, Ben Walsh said Thorburn has led both product teams and consulted on product design and implementation during a career of more than 25 years.
“Guy and his team will help achieve even better outcomes through a more holistic and coordinated approach to the way we develop and manage products across the enterprise,” he said.
The current leader of the firm’s investments consulting team, Graeme Mather, will retain this role and succeeds Thorburn as retirement business leader to improve collaboration between the retirement and investments businesses.
“Graeme’s intimate knowledge of the retail retirement market, coupled with his extensive career in investment consulting, will result in enhanced outcomes for our clients, particularly given the financial challenges posed by Australia’s rapidly ageing population and increasing life expectancies,” Walsh said.
