The woman who for five years was one of Australia’s most powerful gatekeepers of unlisted funds managers is looking for a job, after a foray into group insurance didn’t work out.

Sandi Orleow, who for the five years until 2009 ran the private markets consulting effort at Watson Wyatt (since renamed Towers Watson), made a high-profile move to MLC Group Insurance in June to fill a newly-created position as head of client relationships.

However Orleow said yesterday the appointment “didn’t work out – as sometimes happens”, and that she was seeking a new role helping a superannuation fund or funds adjust to the transforming regulatory environment.

MLC Group Insurance confirmed Orleow’s departure but no information was yet available as to how she would be replaced.

Meanwhile, the MLC group was named yesterday as number one for promoting trust and confidence in the financial services industry, by the Financial Services Council / PricewaterhouseCoopers 2010 CEO survey.

Thirty five CEOs participated, encompassing all sections of the financial services industry (including Australia’s 10 largest wealth managers).  The survey incorporates both quantitative and qualitative research including CEO round-tables and one-on-one interviews.