Russell Investment Group has appointed two new business development managers to its institutional sales team, following the recent appointment of Chris Briant as director of institutional sales.

Laird Abernethy, former business superannuation consultant at Asgard and Paul Taylor, former BDM for Legg Mason’s corporate master trust, have filled the two new roles that form part of a more specialist approach to business development as a response to market complexity. “It is increasing specialisation and resourcing in business development to enable a more focused approach to the market,” Briant said. Their roles are to understand the Russell product and how it fits with the client, looking primarily at new business opportunities, and responsibilities will be split according to geographical boundaries as well as product specialisation within the team. Further appointments at Russell on the retail side include Peter Burnett to the newly created role of national sales development manager with Jeanette Bredberg filling Burnett’s previous position as state manager for Victoria and Tasmania. Mehernavaz Edibam is now the national services manager, another new position, and Damon Riscalla has joined Russell as the business development manager for the Victorian and Tasmanian regions.