Guernsey-based life insurer Generali International has hired James Weston, the former head of strategic partners at Skandia International, for its newly-created head of bank distribution role.
At Skandia, Weston was responsible for managing global bank and IFA relationships, and his appointment by Generali is in line with the company’s ambition to expand its distribution model to include international and consumer banks, in addition to the private banking sector.
According to Generali, which operates across East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe, Weston will develop relationships with banking partners throughout the key markets in which it is authorised and has a local presence, especially Guernsey, Hong Kong and Singapore.
He will also seek to develop opportunities in the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with the UAE branch of Assicurazioni Generali, the parent company of Generali International.
Weston has worked for more than 11 years in the financial services sector, during which time he has lived in Hong Kong, London and Zurich. After two years as the Asia sales director at Porton Capital, a private equity fund house, Weston joined Skandia in Hong Kong in 2004.
He moved to London in 2005 to manage Skandia International’s global key accounts, including Barclays, deVere, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS, and relocated to Switzerland in 2008 under the same role. More recently, he worked for the strategy department of Old Mutual, Skandia’s parent.