People moves: L&G names managing director for European asset management

Legal & General (L&G) – Pauline Plunkett has been appointed to the role of managing director, Europe, with overall responsibility for L&G’s asset management business across Europe ex-UK. The appointment is one of several changes that will further strengthen the European asset management leadership team, positioning the business to better serve its clients in the region and grow its European footprint, the firm stated.

Plunkett joined L&G in 2014 to lead insurance client relationships. More recently, she undertook the role of chief executive officer of LGIM Managers (Europe), the firm’s Ireland branch, and managing director of Ireland. In these roles, she has been instrumental in building L&G’s presence in Dublin and across the continent, while deepening the firm’s relationships with institutional and insurance clients.

Plunkett’s appointment is followed by wider leadership changes in the European business, with Giancarlo Sandrin, formerly deputy head of wholesale, Europe, appointed as head of wholesale, Europe, and Philipp Koenigsmarck stepping into the deputy head of wholesale, Europe role. Finally, Patrik Hanser, head of wholesale distribution, Germany and Austria, will undertake a newly created role, head of digital distribution, Europe.

AllianceBernstein (AB) – Onur Erzan, the firm’s president, has been appointed president and CEO, effective 1 April 2027. He will succeed Seth Bernstein, who will be retiring 31 March 2027, after nearly a decade leading the firm. Bernstein will continue to serve on AB’s board of directors.

During his tenure as CEO, Bernstein has overseen a period of profound transformation for AB, the firm stated. Under his leadership, AB continued to evolve beyond its traditional active public market asset management roots into a diversified, leading global investment manager, with scaled businesses across public markets, private alternatives, private wealth, insurance asset management and retirement solutions.

Erzan assumed the role of president in January 2026 and oversees AB’s private wealth management, global private alternatives and global asset management distribution businesses, in addition to the firm’s strategy and corporate development functions. He has served on the Equitable Holdings management committee since 2021 and, following the close of the merger between Equitable Holdings and Corebridge Financial, will serve on the company’s leadership team, headed by CEO Marc Costantini.

Prior to joining AB, Erzan spent 20 years with McKinsey & Company, most recently as a senior partner and co-leader of its wealth and asset management practice.

Aptia – The UK-based consultancy has named Diane Humble as head of corporate pension consulting.

Humble brings more than 15 years of experience advising UK defined benefit (DB) pension sponsors and trustees on funding, de-risking and endgame strategy. She has particular expertise in supporting smaller pension schemes and has extensive experience developing and implementing liability management solutions, buy-in and buyout strategies, and journey planning programmes.

Before joining Aptia, Humble held senior roles at EY, Mercer and JLT, where she advised clients across a wide range of industries on some of their most complex pensions challenges.

In her new role, Humble will work closely with pension schemes and sponsoring employers to support strategic decision-making, helping clients navigate an increasingly complex pensions landscape while ensuring that smaller schemes receive the specialist support they need.

ZEDRA – The firm has announced the appointment of three new team members to the ZEDRA Inside Pensions team as it continues to expand its governance offering in response to growing demand from pension funds for high-quality, practical governance support.

Joyce Brown has joined as trustee executive, alongside Hamida Dadd and Aliza Bashir, who have joined as assistant trustee executives.

Brown brings more than 15 years of experience across pensions administration, trustee governance and scheme management. She has extensive experience supporting defined benefit schemes through complex events including buyouts, wind-ups and Pension Protection Fund transfers, as well as supporting trustee boards with governance, compliance and strategic projects.

Dadd and Bashir will support trustee boards across governance, secretariat and project management activities. Both bring pensions governance experience gained from working across a range of scheme arrangements and will support the continued delivery of ZEDRA Inside Pensions’ growing client offering.

Aviva – The firm has appointed Mark Thompson as chair of the UK life and pensions independent governance committee.

Thompson brings nearly four decades of experience in the UK pensions industry, having held several senior investment and governance roles, including serving as chief investment officer of the HSBC UK Pension Scheme and trustee positions across both DB and defined contribution (DC) pension arrangements. He also served on the independent governance committees of Zurich and Scottish Widows and currently chairs the trustee boards of the Prudential Staff Pension Scheme and the M&G Staff Pension Scheme.

Thompson succeeds Colin Richardson, who is stepping down from the role after completing his term as chair.

Syz Group – The group has announced a strategic evolution of its alternatives business, Syz Capital, as a dedicated private equity platform alongside the appointment of David Weintraub as CEO, subject to FINMA appointment.

The move reflects the group’s continued commitment to alternative investments and its decision to focus on the areas where it believes it can deliver the greatest value to clients and generate the strongest long-term growth.

Syz Capital will focus exclusively on private equity through two complementary strategies: direct investments in European small and mid-market B2B businesses, and its primary private equity programme, which provides investors with access to a diversified portfolio of high-quality private equity opportunities through specialist managers.

Weintraub joins from KIRKBI, the private investment holding company behind the LEGO Group, where he served as investment director. He brings extensive experience in direct investing, transaction execution and value creation, having led a broad range of investments focusing on technology-enabled sectors across Europe.