Ravi Rastogi
bfinance, the independent investment consultancy, has announced the appointment of Ravi Rastogi in a newly created senior leadership role: Managing Director and Global Head of Insurance. He will be based in the firm’s London office. The shift underscores the increasing strategic importance of the insurance practice globally, which has represented a key growth driver for the firm in recent years.
An industry veteran, Rastogi brings more than thirty years of experience in financial services, with almost twenty years in the specialist insurance investment field. His previous insurance investment leadership positions include regional roles at Mercer (2015-18) and (Willis) Towers Watson (2010-2015) and EY (2021-2024). In 2018 he founded Ark Advisors, an insurance-investment focused specialist consultancy. Prior to his appointment as Global Head of Insurance at bfinance, he had been working closely with the firm for several months in an advisory capacity.
In this new role, Rastogi will work closely with the senior team and client consultants across all international offices. The appointment will strengthen bfinance’s ability to support insurers in navigating increasingly complex investment, regulatory and sustainability challenges, refining the firm’s strategic offerings in this space and enhancing capabilities.
The appointment reflects the growing importance of the insurance sector to the consultancy: bfinance has over 100 insurer advisory relationships, with almost 90% of these engaging in the last 5 years. As such, the insurance practice represents one of the fastest-growing parts of the business. This shift reflects wider trends such as insurer portfolio diversification, evolving regulatory frameworks and the improving accessibility of certain alternative asset classes.
Client diversification across segment and geographical lines has been a key tenet of bfinance’s long-term strategy as it seeks to maintain resilience and sustainable growth through a period of transformative change in the global institutional investment landscape. The firm’s Wealth Management practice also represents a key strategic growth priority, providing added service capability for the broader integrated insurance and asset management groups.
Ravi Rastogi, Managing Director, Global Head of Insurance at bfinance, said: “bfinance has a long-standing reputation for independent, rigorous advice and for acting as a true extension of its clients’ internal teams. The research pedigree and unique client-centric business model resonate deeply with insurers’ own commitment to delivering investment outcomes for their end clients. Having worked closely with the firm as an advisor, I am delighted to be taking on this role full time. I look forward to working with colleagues and clients globally to help insurers address evolving investment priorities, governance demands, and sustainability objectives.”
Frithjof van Zyp, Senior Director, Australia at bfinance, said: “Ravi’s appointment further reinforces bfinance’s global strategic focus on the insurance sector. This comes at a time when Australian insurers are seeking more specialised investment support. It is a sector we have been active in since 2016, and we continue to see accelerating demand locally. Ravi’s deep sector expertise will enhance our ability to support Australian insurers across complex areas such as multi‑asset portfolio design, alternative asset class implementation, and the integration of sustainability and regulatory considerations.”
David Vafai, Chief Executive Officer at bfinance, said: “Ravi’s appointment reflects both the depth of his expertise and the growing importance of insurance clients within our global business. He brings a rare combination of strategic insight, operational experience, and deep sector knowledge. His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to expand and strengthen our insurance offering worldwide.”