Guardian marketing and proposition director Jacqui Gillies is leaving the insurer and departing the industry after 42 years while the provider said it will be focusing on working with fewer advisers and lower growth goals in the next year.
The insurer announced the changes as part of its 2025 strategy, released by interim CEO Peter Mann today, who has succeeded Katya McLean since her departure.
Guardian said it would “focus on deepening quality relationships with firms and advisers that are passionate about delivering good customer outcomes”.
Speaking to Health & Protection, Mann acknowledged the insurer would be choosing to reduce its growth goals, work with fewer advice firms and maintain it’s service levels.
Mann said that over the six years since launch the firm had focused on establishing the brand, product development and forming adviser relationships.
Cutting growth and advisers
But he told Health & Protection that the firm’s focus was now moving to cutting growth targets to the low double digits, as opposed to its current 40% growth rate.
“We’ve got six years of history now so we know where the value lies for us,” Mann said.
“So we’re going to hunt down that value and deal with the people who have supported us and whose business is good for us, good for them, good for the consumer and focus more attention on those – and at the same time keep our service levels up to scratch for those who we think are capable of producing more business.
“And obviously, we will throttle back on those who have had the opportunity to support us and for whatever reason don’t.”
But the focus will also be on working advisers who sell the product effectively, Mann added.
“Value is many different things. Value is not just selling the product, it’s selling the product effectively,” he said.
“Value is not just volume. It’s many aspects of the relationship. It’s focusing on those that produce value, for us, for themselves and for the individual.”
Gillies departure
The firm also announced that marketing and proposition director Jacqui Gillies will leave it after eight years and the industry after 42 years, having started her career at Guardian Royal Exchange in 1982.
Her protection market experience includes head of marketing at Bright Grey for 12 years from 2002 to 2014.
Gillies joined Guardian in 2016 and was part of the team that brought the insurer to market two years later.
On her departure, Mann maintained that it was not possible to replace Gillies.
Consequently, upon her departure at the end of the year, her direct reports – head of marketing Rachael Welsh and head of proposition Jo Penrose – will report into Guardian commercial director Hilary Banks.
“You don’t replace Jacqui,” Mann said. “You don’t find somebody with 42 years of experience.
“Actually, you don’t find someone that has got eight of those 42 years with Guardian.
“So what we’re going to do is move Jacqui’s primary responsibilities of proposition and marketing to our sales and development director Hilary Banks, who will become the commercial director.
“She will absorb distribution, marketing and proposition because each of those is run by a leader in their own right.”
Absolute privilege
Gillies said it had been an absolute privilege to have been part of Guardian’s hugely exciting journey from launching the brand in 2018.
“It’s been an honour to see first-hand, as we’ve grown, how our innovative approach has helped so many customers,” she said.
“When I first joined the team, I had no intention of staying so long, and no idea of how far we would come.
“After eight years with Guardian and a 42-year career in financial services, which incidentally started at Guardian in 1982 when it was known as GRE, I’m ready to let the team take on this new strategy for 2025.”