Catherine Hallinan, acting chief operating officer of investment management and life at Zurich, is likely to take over the role permanently by March following Barry Tomkinson’s departure.
Tomkinson left the position in November. Rob White, corporate communications manager at Zurich, said that since the departure of Tomkinson for some “well-earned time off”, Hallinan had been filling in over the Christmas and New Year period. Zurich is not currently looking at any other candidates, and White said that with her 25 years of industry experience, Hallinan was an obvious choice for the position. Hallinan joined Zurich in 2006. Previously she was general manager, wealth strategy, at St George.
There is one investment area where Insignia’s $180 billion super arm has not lost money for the past 17 years, which is what it calls the insurance-related investments. The alternatives strategy is gaining popularity among asset owners due to its diversification benefit, but Insignia’s super and asset management investment chief Dan Farmer warns it is a space where investors can suffer if they “stumble in without doing the homework”.
Darcy SongJanuary 23, 2025
