GLOBAL – Jan Nijssen has quit as global head of pensions at Dutch-based banking group ING, to be replaced by Tom Kliphuis.

The bank said Nijssen, 52, will leave as of January 1 2006 after 27 years with the company. He has been in the pensions role since mid-2003 and chief executive of the central European insurance unit since 2000. Kliphuis, 41, is currently CEO of ING Chile.

“On behalf of my colleagues of the executive board I would like to thank Jan Nijssen for his committed and outstanding contribution to ING, most recently to developing ING’s global pension business and insurance activities in Central Europe,” said Michael Tilmant, chairman of ING’s executive board.

Tilmant added that Nijssen had helped put ING “on the map” as a leading provider of retirement services. He added the executive feels “the time has come for a change”.

“While we sincerely regret but respect Jan’s decision to leave, we are convinced that Tom Kliphuis will be an asset in strengthening ING’s worldwide position in pensions and ING’s insurance markets in central Europe.”

ING’s strategy is to advise governments in emerging markets as they seek to reform or set up pension arrangements.

Earlier this month, for example, it sponsored a conference on international pensions and insurance in Dalian in China.

Nijssen was in the news yesterday with the announcement that ING would sponsor a report into global pensions by the World Bank and the OECD.