AMP North boosts ops, product, strategy capability with new hires

AMP has created three new leadership roles within its wrap investment platform North, providing added muscle to its client servicing, investment operations and managed portfolios capabilities.

Sharyn Baker has been appointed to the newly created role of director of operations. The role will oversee end-to-end administration, client servicing, investment operations, third-party relationships, data and risk and compliance functions across platforms.

Baker joins AMP after eight years with BT Financial, most recently heading the wealth firm’s service and operations functions. Previously, she also served as BT’s head of platforms service and operations, and head of customer, transformation, and service governance.

Across her more than 20 years in the wealth and financial services space, Baker has also held senior roles as MLC Australia and NAB broker, alongside consultancy work in the industry.

David Hutchison, a fellow MLC alum, also joins North in the newly created role of general manager of managed portfolios and investments.

In the new role, Hutchison will be charged with supporting North’s adviser team, “developing and accelerating growth plans for North’s managed portfolio and investment menu business”.

Hutchison has also notched up more than 20 years in the wealth space, including 10 years with MLC/NAB, with experience in product management, investments, and consulting.

Hutchison most recently served as partner at NMG Consulting, providing specialist consultancy services to the wealth, asset management and insurance sectors, as well as senior roles at Patersons Securities and Challenger.

The pair join Mike Way, who earlier this year was appointed North’s new director for strategy and transformation.

Way was most recently strategy partner at Deloitte, overseeing growth strategies, digital and data strategy, customer experience design, business and operating model design, and transformation execution.

The three senior appointees report directly to AMP group executive, platforms, Edwina Maloney.

Maloney welcomed the new hires’ “broad market experience”.

“I am excited for Sharyn, David and Mike to bolster our bench strength at North, as we continue to drive our strategy and transformation plans with a strong focus on product leadership and client servicing of the highest calibre.

“Part of our Platforms strategy is to bring the right capability into our business that will help us turn strategy into action and drive an agile delivery approach to transformation.

She added: “The next step will be to continue to build on North’s market competitiveness, extend our adviser footprint and drive greater awareness of North’s leading functionality.”

North currently oversees more than $18 billion in funds under management across its managed portfolios.