In this newly created role, David will work closely with financial advisers to help them improve the client experience and ensure more policy owners understand they have a choice when their life insurance is at risk of lapsing or cancellation.

According to Protip DasGupta, iExtend’s Chief Distribution Officer, the appointment reinforces the company’s commitment to empowering advisers.

“We’re pleased to welcome David to the team in a role focused on helping advisers deliver a more personalised, proactive, and financially beneficial experience to their clients,” said DasGupta. “By streamlining the process and offering hands-on support, David will help broaden adviser capabilities and strengthen client relationships.”

By providing direct engagement, training, and strategic support, David will equip advisers with the tools and insights to identify opportunities where iExtend’s solution may unlock financial value or the opportunity to preserve some critical cover. This allows clients to make more informed decisions about their life insurance options and improves long-term outcomes.

David brings a strong background in life insurance and financial services, including almost nine years at Resolution Life as Partner Relationships Manager, and over six years at iSelect in roles across sales management, training, and call centre leadership. With experience working as a financial adviser, he has a deep understanding of adviser needs and client expectations.

iExtend offers a unique solution for life insurance policy owners who are considering cancelling or reducing their life insurance cover. The business co-owns the policy, takes over premium payments, and shares future claim benefits, with the claim split based on how long iExtend has been paying premiums.

Importantly, one in four policies assessed by iExtend are ultimately retained by the policy owner, demonstrating the potential value that may otherwise be lost. This also gives advisers a powerful retention strategy, allowing them to maintain long-term relationships and support clients when it matters most.

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King is the first locally-based resource in Western Australia and will work with financial advisers and their clients in the region. His appointment reflects increased demand for iExtend and the service it provides Australians questioning the value of their life insurance.

King brings extensive experience to the newly created role, a career-long professional in financial services spanning more than 25 years working with insurance providers and licensees. Most recently King was Business Partnerships Manager at Resolutions Life and prior to this, he spent time with Integrity Life, Guardian Advice and OnePath where he was a Senior BDM for six years.

iExtend Head of Distribution Protip DasGupta commented, “We are excited to be expanding our team with Wes’s appointment on the west coast, a reflection of the momentum which iExtend is continuing to build in the market and with financial advisers over the past two years, particularly since the acquisition of our retail licence earlier this year.”

In a report commissioned by the Council of Australian Life Insurers (CALI), more than two-thirds (68%) found Australian workers are concerned that the cost-of-living pressures will impact their ability to afford life insurance in the future. Further, 23% would consider cancelling their life insurance cover if affordability was to become an issue.¹

iExtend considers policies where the policyholder has already committed to fully or partially cancelling their term life insurance cover. By entering an iExtend Life Co-Ownership Arrangement, Australians can retain an original share of their term-life policy, with iExtend paying all the premiums on the co-owed policy.

In July this year iExtend was granted its Australian Financial Services License by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, marking a significant development in the business’s history and growth. Following this, iExtend embarked on a national licensing roadshow with its risk adviser network, the iExchange Forum and will have a strong presence at the FAAA National Congress in Brisbane in November.

“iExtend is building good support in the Australian market, an output of the strong and valuable relationships financial advisers has with their clients,” said DasGupta. “We do not take this support for granted and are committed to providing financial advisers with what they need to look after their clients.”

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David Sarkis

iExtend has launched the iExchange Forums, a national assembly designed to bring together like-minded advisers from across Australia to provide an opportunity to connect and to advocate industry solutions to current industry challenges.

The iExchange Forums encapsulates how iExtend will continue to work with advisers, in a collaborative manner, to ensure the best outcome for policyholders. iExtend has hosted iExchange Forum launch events in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth and this week, will launch the Forum in Adelaide.

Already more than 40 licensees and privately owned businesses have attended these events, creating a foundation member group of over 80 risk advisers across Australia. The Forums have been well received by advisers who  have valued the opportunity to build their network, collaborate and discuss how insurance can be better viewed as an asset rather than a liability.

“It is great to have like-minded advisers in the one room who are positive about the future and yet bring deep experience with them,” said Don Trapnell, former Synchron Chairman and current Director, Llenpart Financial and Founding Member of iExchange Forum, Melbourne

“iExtend is bringing together advisers in forums that are educational, positive and social and where advisers can listen to each other,” said Nowak Financial Services Director and former AFA President Michael Nowak and Founding Member of iExchange Forum, Brisbane

“The iExtend Exchange Forums are a new, adviser-focussed way to catch up with fellow advisers who are seeing similar challenges to you and who can provide insights on how they are responding to them,” said Reece Keys, Financial Adviser, Solace Financial House Financial Adviser and Founding Member of iExchange Forum, Brisbane

To date, the national events have showcased CPD accredited presentations from Strategy Consultant and former Zurich/One Path Risk Strategy expert Mark Neil, iExtend CEO David Sarkis and iExtend Head of Distribution, Protip DasGupta.

According to iExtend CEO David Sarkis, advisers are looking to connect face-to-face, to compare stories and experiences and to leverage their great skill.

“The insurance operating environment is very complex and stressful right now with a number of issues hurting policyholders, and financial advisers are having to deal with this. The Forums provide a unique setting for them to come together and discuss new approaches and what is working.”

Over the coming months, iExtend will attend a number of industry events, PD days and Licensee days as it continues to inform and educate the advice market on its offer. iExtend is currently operating under a Corporate Authorised Representative licence while it awaits its Australian Financial Services Licence from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

iExtend’s Head of Distribution Protip DasGupta said advisers are key in assisting Australians make good choices about their life insurance, particularly when they are under pressure with health changes and financial pressures.

“Financial advisers are central to helping Australians manage and retain their life insurance policies. iExtend has been working closely with them to ensure they understand how iExtend works, and how our proposition can help the policyholders, advisers and insurers, overall enhancing the sustainability of the life insurance industry.”

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Geoff Lloyd

Market entrant iExtend has made a number of senior appointments to its leadership and distribution teams, adding further experience and resources to support financial advisers seeking a more flexible and cost-effective way to maintain their client’s valuable life insurance.

Joining the iExtend team is former CEO of Perpetual and MLC, Geoff Lloyd who has been appointed to Chair of the Advisory Board, while industry stalwart and former Bankers Trust Australia Director and global partner of Bankers Trust NY, Rodney Payne is Chairman and Co-Founder – together bringing close to 70-years’ experience to the offer.

According to Geoff, iExtend is providing those Australians who need it most, a no-cost lifeline in terms of maintaining a portion of their life insurance cover.

“iExtend represents an opportunity for the insurance industry to demonstrate its innovation and commitment to being there for Australians by providing life insurance policyholders who are committed to cancelling their policies with another option.”

Rodney Payne also brings considerable industry experience, bringing together and running profitable customer-centric businesses from Bankers Trust Australia to having founded Zurich Capital Markets in early 2000.

“iExtend truly addresses a gap in the market, one which if addressed, can provide a lot more certainty and sustainability to insurance by helping Australians maintain valuable insurance life cover even when their circumstances change,” said Payne.

iExtend partners with life insurance owners to take co-ownership of the life policy, paying ongoing premiums on the cover which could have otherwise been cancelled. Co-owning a life policy with iExtend means policyholders can eliminate future premium payments from the percentage of the policy that was to be cancelled, providing a greater portion of any eventual claim for the policyholder’s family as well as greater financial certainty for them at time when they may need it most.

Joining the iExtend distribution team, Peter Clifford has been appointed QLD Distribution Manager. Peter has spent more than 30-years in the financial services industry and held several insurance specialist roles with insurance providers, adviser licensees and in corporate superannuation. Peter will work alongside Mark Stubbings, further strengthening iExtend’s national presence.

iExtend’s Head of Distribution Protip DasGupta commented, “The recent hires, not only expands our national presence but brings together a deep team presence with experience across wealth insurance and superannuation.”

Commenting on the appointments across the business, iExtend CEO David Sarkis said he was delighted by the calibre of talent who have joined the iExtend family.

“We have an exciting, fresh and innovative offer and it is great to see that not only advisers are responding enthusiastically, but also experienced industry professionals who know iExtend is filling a gap in the life insurance market. We are fortunate to have leading industry professionals at iExtend working to ensure advisers understand our offering and are provided the opportunity to retain and support clients in their best interest, despite having elected to cancel their life insurance.”

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