Acenda has appointed Accenture’s Chris de Bruin as its new CEO, the life insurer announced on Tuesday, 24 June.
The appointment of de Bruin precedes the finalisation of the merger between MLC Life and Resolution Life Australasia, which created the Acenda Group.
De Bruin brings 25 years of experience in executive roles in the financial services sector, including most recently as Accenture’s Senior Advisor and Member of its Luminary Network.
Before joining Acenda, de Bruin served as the Chief Executive for Consumer and Business Banking in Australia’s Westpac Group for about 3 years. He also spent over 13 years at the Standard Chartered Bank, where he led the Retail Products and Digital, Distribution, and Consumer Banking across Singapore, Korea, and Japan.
Craig Dunn, incoming Acenda Group Chair, said: “Having had the pleasure of working with Chris before, I know the strength of leadership and strategic insight he will bring to the role, and the great passion he has for creating an exceptional experience for both customers and employees alike.”
Nippon Life President Satoshi Asahi also commented: “Under Mr. de Bruin’s leadership, I believe the Acenda Group will enhance its position in the market while consistently delivering exceptional service and value to its policyholders. I look forward to supporting him as he embarks on this important journey to lead our Australian and New Zealand operations.”
In December 2024, Nippon Life purchased Resolution Life for US$8.2bn. The deal is expected to be approved by regulators in the second half of 2025.
De Bruin is the latest in a series of appointments made ahead of Acenda’s rebrand. The group recently named four Independent non-executive Directors, including Catherine Dubé, David Stephen, Melissa Babbage, and Rosheen Garnon.
Speaking on his new role at Acenda, de Bruin stated: “Building on the foundations established under the leadership of Kent Griffin and Tim Tez, I look forward to working with our Chair Craig Dunn, the Board, our shareholders and the exceptional team across the Acenda Group to achieve our vision to provide outstanding service and value to our customers and partners.”
