Mr Taggart brings more than a decade of senior leadership experience across distribution, strategy and adviser engagement. Most recently as General Manager of Distribution and Marketing at Resolution Life, Mr Taggart has built a reputation for leading high performing teams and collaborating with advisers to grow their businesses and support their clients.

Prior to this, Mr Taggart spent more than ten years at Zurich and OnePath, where he led large state-based sales teams, strategic accounts and national distribution functions through periods of growth, integration and transformation.

HUB24 Executive General Manager, Platform Growth Matt Willis said: “I’m excited to welcome Nathan to the HUB24 team. He will play an important role in continuing to build and maintain our strong relationships with advisers to enable them to deliver better client outcomes.”

HUB24 has consistently been recognised by both advisers and the industry for customer service excellence and a recent Investment Trends 2025 Adviser Technology Needs Report found service and support remain top drivers of platform satisfaction, with nearly half of advisers citing poor service as the reason they leave a platform.¹

Mr Taggart said he is excited to join the team at HUB24: “HUB24 has built a strong reputation for service, innovation and collaboration with advisers. I’m looking forward to working closely with advisers to build on the strong access and engagement advisers already have, ensuring they continue to deliver outstanding client outcomes.”

HUB24 continues to invest in delivering outstanding service and support for advisers and their clients, including combining AI‑enabled solutions with a people‑first customer service model, and providing dedicated adviser training with team members in each state.

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Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur

The Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) is pleased to announce that AIA Australia and OnePath Life^[1] have partnered with the AFA Foundation to support our charitable work that is changing lives across the nation.

AFA Foundation Chair, Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur, said the partnerships will help the AFA Foundation provide additional valuable support to charities that assist people in need across the country.

“We thank AIA Australia and OnePath Life for partnering with us to help improve the lives of Australians who are doing it tough,” she said. “Their contributions to the AFA Foundation will allow us to broaden and strengthen our charitable giving efforts.”

Ben Walsh, Chief Insurance & Investments Officer at AIA Australia, said, “We are a partnering organisation that champions shared value and making a difference in people’s lives. By teaming up with the AFA Foundation, we are choosing to support a Foundation that significantly enriches the lives and livelihoods of others – which in turn will create meaningful impact and serve our community for the better.”

Nathan Taggart, Head of Sales at Zurich and OnePath Life, said, “In the face of the current challenges posed by COVID-19, we are incredibly proud to support the AFA Foundation’s efforts to support these important charities and in turn make a difference to everyday Australians and their families.  We have a responsibility to positively impact the lives of our customers, partners and the broader community. This initiative, and our long-standing partnership with the AFA, is another way we hope we can make a difference.”

Through the financial contributions and hard work of members of the AFA community and the AFA Foundation committee, over $2 million has been provided to charity partners across Australia since the AFA Foundation was established in 2007.

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[1] OnePath Life is part of the Zurich Group

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Over $117,000 was raised for the AFA Foundation, making Kokoda 2018 the biggest single fundraising event in the foundation’s history.

Members and friends of the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) have completed the 96km Kokoda Trail which took place from 24 August – 2 September.

The group raised a total of over $117,000 for the AFA Foundation, making Kokoda 2018 the biggest single fundraising event in the foundation’s history.

The group included AFA CEO Philip Kewin, Alisdair Barr, Ross Barnwell, Brad Fox, Russell Hannah, Michael Molloy, David Mounsey, Adrian Raftery, Nathan Taggart and Cara Williams.

The funds will be distributed by the AFA Foundation which gives generously to a number of charities including Legacy, The Black Dog Institute, MS Research Australia, Make a Wish Foundation and Bears for Hope.

Mr Kewin said the group was proud to raise funds for the AFA Foundation, which encourages giving back to local communities via charity partners. “This truly was a memorable experience, challenging us all at both a physical and an emotional level. It was a privilege to complete the trek with such a great group of people who did an amazing job in raising funds for their chosen charities.”

Olivia Sarah-Le Lacheur, chair of the AFA Foundation said, “The AFA Foundation engages AFA, members, partners and supporters in giving back to the community and working with our charity partners to make a meaningful difference for people in need.

“Over the past 11 years, we’ve shared over $1.6m with a wide range of charities across all states of Australia. Through the Kokoda program the AFA community has had the opportunity to participate in a life changing experience and raise much needed funds for our charity partners. We are very proud of the participants for their financial and physical achievements on the Kokoda trail.”

Brisbane-based financial adviser, Cara Williams, who did the trek to raise funds for Bears of Hope and to honour the memory of Darcy, her nephew who was stillborn, said, “Trekking Kokoda with the AFA Foundation was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but worth every single moment. I would encourage everyone to consider trekking Kokoda. You will learn so much about what our soldiers went through, you will grow as a person and you will have the honour to trek with some incredible people who will be mates for life.”

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Nathan Taggart has been promoted to the role of Head of Strategic Development and joins the Distribution Leadership team, reporting to Zurich Life and Investments’ Head of Distribution Kristine Brooks.

New appointments include eight Business Development Managers and one Strategic Accounts Manager, based across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

• In New South Wales: Annqua Murray and James O’Dwyer join as Business Development Managers, and Liz Versace joins as a Business Support Officer.
• In Queensland: Tanya Woolnough joins as Business Development Manager.
• In Victoria: Emily Cossignani and Andrew Roberts join as Business Development Managers, while Sarah Nichols has been promoted to the same role.
• Tim Atley joins as Strategic Accounts Manager and Heena Mulchandani joins as a Business Development Associate, both reporting to the Strategic Development team.
• In Western Australia: Richard Burton and Steve Coyle join as Business Development Managers.

Ms Brooks said the appointments follow Zurich’s recent acquisition of Macquarie Life and the securing of several important new distribution relationships.

“This investment in the size of our team allows us to fully support our growing network of IFA and bank-aligned partners. It comes at a point in time when it’s critical that we as an industry educate as many Australians as possible about the important role of life insurance, and do all we can to ensure as many Australians as possible are properly protected,” Ms Brooks said.

“I’m very excited to welcome these talented people to our award-winning BDM team. It’s a reflection ofin the market opportunity we see across the country and means we have more firepower to support our advisers and licensee partners to grow their practices and focus on delivering fantastic financial advice to help protect and grow the wealth of Australians,” Ms Brooks added.

The appointments come prior to Zurich revamping and refreshing its product proposition in 2017, and more fully integrating the products acquired through the Macquarie Life acquisition in October 2016.

Key experience

New South Wales

• Nathan Taggart joined Zurich in 2013 after five years at BT Financial Group and previously Aviva Australia. He has held a range of distribution and advice roles.
• Annqua Murray has worked at TAL and AIA and previously was based in South Africa.
• James O’Dwyer has extensive Advice experience.
• Liz Versace joins from OnePath.

Queensland

• Tanya Woolnough joins from AMP and her financial services career spans 15 years of product and business development management in the QLD market.

Victoria

• Emily Cossignani has over ten years’ experience managing key relationships in Victoria and Tasmania and joins from AIA Australia, where she held BDA and BSO roles.
• Sarah Nichols joined Zurich’s General Insurance division five years ago before moving to Life Risk in early 2014, moving through BDO and BDA roles since.
• Andrew Roberts joins Zurich from the role of National Insurance Manager at NAB Financial Planning. He played an integral role in the expansion of NAB Financial Planning APL and Zurich product accreditation of 480 NAB advisers. He was previously National Training Manager for IRESS.
• Tim Atley has joined from Lifebroker, where he was Head of Sales & Operations. He has previously held roles at ANZ FP, iSelect and NAB. Tim joins Zurich’s national Strategic Accounts team, managing ongoing relationships with current dealer group partners, and is Melbourne-based.
• Heena Mulchandani joins Zurich from a paraplanning role at Salt Financial Group – Securitor

Western Australia

• Richard Burton joins the WA team from Westpac Group’s mortgage broking team and has over 17 years’ finance industry experience.
• Steve Coyle joins the WA team in the role of Business Development Manager, most recently running his own financial planning business. Previously he was State Manager for Guardian Financial Planning dealer group, and held roles with NAB and AMP.

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The revamp sees 14 new members across the Business Development, Risk Strategies and Strategic Accounts teams, and will significantly enhance Zurich’s strategic distribution support capabilities.

Having earlier announced the appointment of Dave Evans to the National Sales Manager role, Zurich confirmed a number of further appointments across all mainland states:

New South Wales Rhonda Morley and Mark Olivier join as Business Development Managers. Jessica Brady joins the Risk Strategy Specialist team, and Klytie Sheppard has been appointed to the Risk Strategic Accounts team, reporting to Nathan Taggart. Victoria Lauren Styles joins as a Business Development Manager.

Queensland Michelle Dolan, Peter Christopherson, Russell Townsend and Ryan Adair have joined the Business Development team, whilst Danielle Visser has been appointed to the Risk Strategy Specialist team.

South Australia Simon Betchley joins as a Business Development Manager.

Western Australia Aaron Boddy has been appointed as Regional Manager, with David Rees joining the new Risk Strategy Specialist team.

Life and Investments Head of Distribution Kristine Brooks said the new team would be instrumental in bringing Zurich’s expanded product and service proposition to market.

“The life insurance advice landscape is evolving rapidly, and advisers are looking for help in re-shaping their businesses to adapt to change and to turn it into opportunity.

“Innovative product solutions, efficiency enhancing technology and comprehensive educational programs are just some of the resources we have developed to facilitate this ‘future-proofing’.

“Adding to our award winning Business Development presence in every mainland state significantly strengthens our ability to support licensees and advisers in growing their practice and improving their own customer proposition.

“We’re delighted to be able to add so much high calibre talent to a team already acknowledged as being the best within the industry,” she said.

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Kevin Canning

Zurich Financial Services Australia (Zurich) is pleased to announce two significant appointments to its retail life risk Strategic Accounts team, strengthening the resources and breadth of talent dedicated to managing key relationships with dealer group partners.

Mr. Kevin Canning will lead the team as National Strategic Account Manager, and Mr. Nathan Taggart has also been promoted to the role of Strategic Account Manager, Life Risk.

Mr. Canning has extensive experience in the life insurance industry with a career which spans nearly 30 years in financial services. This includes as Zurich over the last three years as Strategic Account Manager, as well as other leadership roles for AMP Financial Services, Millenium3, and ING.

Nathan Taggart

Mr. Taggart has worked in financial services for more than eight years; his experience specifically aligned to life risk insurance. This includes both as financial planner as well as various business development roles, for both BT Financial Group and Aviva Australia.

Both gentlemen have been promoted into their roles having worked for Zurich for several years.  This reflects the organisation’s commitment to developing and retaining its exceptional talent.

Ms. Kristine Brooks, Head of Distribution at Zurich, said that investing in the strength of the relationship with dealer groups was a key component of the company’s distribution strategy.

“Both Kevin and Nathan have a fantastic track record in forging strong relationships and driving results for Zurich and the important partners we work with.

“With this enhanced team in place, we believe we have a dynamic proposition for how we service our dealer groups in market. Complemented by our award-winning product proposition, this service model provides us with exciting and significant opportunities to strengthen these partnerships even further,” she said.

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