Paul Avis is stepping down from his role as strategic propositions director of protection at Canada Life Group Insurance and leaving the provider after 11 years.
Avis (pictured) leaves Canada Life by mutual consent and will pursue new opportunities.
His departure follows a restructure of the UK business and a realignment of marketing teams.
Avis took on a new role as strategic propositions director, protection, in August 2019, for a 12 month period in order to deliver specific project work but it was agreed to extend that role to the end of this year to complete the work. That project work is now complete, and by mutual agreement, Avis has decided to pursue new opportunities.
Tim Stoves, managing director, Group Protection, Canada Life UK, said that he and the wider organisation would like to thank Avis for his “consistent enthusiasm and energy and passion for protection”.
Stoves said: “He leaves with our best wishes for the future. We part as friends and he leaves a positive legacy of great work behind as we look forward to building on the success, moving forward as market leader in group protection.”
Stoves added that although the role filled by Avis will not be replaced, Dan Crook, the provider’s current protection sales director, will lead “market commentary going forward”.
Stoves said: “Dan has extensive knowledge of the industry built up over many years working for Canada Life, and will no doubt add his own flair to our communications.”
Avis said that it had been a “:genuine privilege” to have worked at Canada Life, alongside an “amazing team” for the last 11 years.
Avis said: “Having joined in 2009 we became the largest provider in group insurance in 2013 and have sustained that position since: for any business to get to #1 is an achievement but to maintain that position for so long is incredible.
“On a personal front, the loss of Ian McMullan as our managing director, to cancer, was personally devastating, and without doubt the hardest thing to come to terms with throughout my career, a sentiment no doubt shared by all that worked alongside Ian.
“On a positive note, winning ILAG Practitioner of the Year in 2018 was astonishing as this is not normally given to protection professionals. It was a first for a group protection person and also for a non-actuary in protection showing the increasing importance of the benefits that we provide.
“In any career you have highs and lows but I am proud of my time at Canada Life, and what we accomplished as a team, and wish the business and my colleagues every success in the future in what, to me, is the most fascinating, under-developed and important marketplaces in financial services.”
