Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, today announces two new senior appointments into the Commercial team that supports its Retirement Solutions business.

Kenny McIvor joins as Head of Trading and David Burton joins as Head of Platforms and Process.  Both add further capability to drive business growth through the effective and efficient management of risk and will report into Justin Grainger, Commercial & Finance Director, responsible for managing the Group’s c.£32 bn book of annuities*

Kenny joins from WTW where he was Director in the Life Consulting Practice and brings 15 years of experience working in pricing and strategy for annuities and Bulk Purchase Annuities. He will be focused on ensuring an aligned approach between new business origination and finance, to help optimise the BPA business and shape its strategic direction.

David has over 20 years of experience delivering technology-based solutions and joins from L&G Retirement and L&G Investment Management where he was responsible for technology solutions within the Solvency II and BPA business areas. He will be defining and implementing Standard Life’s technology strategy to drive efficiencies across the function, with a focus on developing out the team’s capabilities and improving its underlying operating model.

Justin Grainger, Commercial Finance Director, Phoenix Group, said: “The BPA and wider retirement market continues to grow, and our business has gone through a period of rapid growth in line with this demand.  Given this, our focus is on ensuring we have the best talent from across the industry to meet our customers’ needs, to help deliver a robust commercial and technology strategy that ensures the effective and efficient management of risk, and achieves scale through technology. This will ensure we continue to evolve our approach to meet our wider strategic ambitions in this space.

“We are very excited to have Kenny and David join us at this time, and I know that their experience will ensure we are expertly placed to achieve our ambitious objectives for 2023 and beyond.”

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Media enquiries

Jennifer Smallwood
Senior PR Manager
07858 367 818
jennifer_smallwood@standardlife.com

Samantha Griffith
PR Consultant
07752 465 345
samantha_griffith@standardlife.com

Notes to editors

About Standard Life 

• Standard Life is a brand that has been trusted to look after peoples’ life savings for nearly 200 years 
• Today it proudly serves millions of customers who come to Standard Life directly, through advisers and through their employers’ pension scheme.
• Standard Life is part of Phoenix Group, the largest long-term savings and retirement business in the UK. We’re proud to be building on nearly 200 years of Standard Life heritage together.
• Our products include a variety of Pensions, Bonds and Retirement options to suit people’s needs, helping our customers to invest and save for their future. We’re proud to offer a leading range of sustainable and responsible investment options.
• We support our customers on their journey to and through retirement with comprehensive, easy-to-understand guidance so they can invest in the right way for their needs, and plan a future they feel confident about.
• Standard Life is the proud headline sponsor of Race for Life, Cancer Research UK’s flagship fundraising event series.