The Board

Chairman

Ian Owen is a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries. He was formerly Managing Director of Zurich Personal Lines, Managing Director of Eagle Star Life and Chief Executive of Eagle Star International Life. He has served as a director or Chair of many other Zurich and Eagle Star Group Companies, both in the UK and overseas. In addition, he has previously served as a non-executive director of AA Insurance, as a non-executive director and Chair of Endsleigh Insurance and Group Director at Liverpool Victoria.  He is currently a non-executive director of Canopius (a Lloyd’s underwriter) and Resolution Life.

He has been a member of the Association of British Insurers’ Life Insurance Council and Chair of the Medical Committee.

Chief Executive Officer

Steve Groves joined Partnership in March 2005 as the Chief Finance Officer. His previous role was as the Senior Admin Re Actuary for Swiss Re Life and Health where he successfully oversaw the acquisition of a number of life companies into a closed fund operation, including Windsor Life and Zurich Life. Prior to joining Swiss Re Steve was the Head of Actuarial Services and then Executive Head of Business Development for Britannic Retirement Solutions. Steve' s other roles included working as Product Manager for GE Life and as an Investment Actuary for Norwich Union. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and a member of their equity release working party.

Underwriting Director

Gaynor Waterman has worked in the Life Insurance industry for nearly 25 years. Her most recent position was as Chief Underwriter for Barclays Life where she was responsible for setting Underwriting and Claim’s philosophy across their range of protection products. In the mid 90’s Gaynor was Administration Manager for Direct Line Life who were the first company in the UK to underwrite and offer life and disability cover over the telephone. During her career Gaynor has gained valuable experience and technical knowledge working for a number of direct offices and reinsurance companies. She qualified as a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute in 1984 and was awarded the Diploma in Medical Underwriting in 1998.

Operations Director

Jane Kennedy has 18 years experience in financial services operations, spanning a wide range of disciplines including General Insurance and Investments as Customer Service Manager at SAGA and SAGA Investment Direct. Life and Pensions having held the post of Head of UK Customer services at Colonial Life and Head of Existing Business Life, and also Pensions and OEICS at Scottish Widows where she played a significant role in achieving a 5 Star Service Award. Prior to Partnership, Jane was Head of Customer Service for Global Home Loans managing mortgage administration and service centres in the UK and off shore.

Finance Director

Chris Rhodes joined Partnership in September 2006 from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he held two senior positions, focusing on capital management developments and delivery of operational risk expertise. Prior to this he worked at Swiss Re Life & Health as Head of Finance and then Head of Operational Risk. He has over 10 years’ experience in the financial services industry and is ACA qualified.

Chief Financial Officer

Mark Dearsley joined Partnership in February 2009 from Savills plc, the FTSE 250 property adviser, where he was Group Finance Director. Prior to Savills, Mark was Finance Director of Aviva Europe & International, the international arm of Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group. He had previously been Aviva's Group Mergers & Acquisitions Director. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), Mark joined Charterhouse Bank (now part of HSBC) where he spent 10 years, latterly as a Board Director. Mark holds an honours degree in Economics.

Managing Director of Retirement

Andrew Megson was previously Sales Director of Just Retirement where he held primary responsibility for the strategic and practical aspects of Just Retirement’s sales distribution and IFA communications.

Prior to this, Andrew held a number of senior roles with investment specialist NPI and successfully launched Britannic Retirement Solutions into the IFA market in 2000, being instrumental in positioning them as a leader in enhanced/impaired annuities.

Managing Director of Care

Chris Horlick began his career as a Royal Marine. Following the completion of his five-year commission he joined Barclays Bank’s Corporate Finance Division before leaving to set up his own international construction company.

He returned to financial services in 1995 joining Denplan and becoming its Managing Director three years later. He was appointed Sales and Marketing Director of AXA PPP Healthcare in 2000 where he was responsible for a department of over 500 staff, managing the distribution of consumer and corporate healthcare products and services in the UK and overseas.