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Ian Smith and Sarah Steel join pensions advisory Hymans Robertson

15 August 2016 Consultancy.uk

Hymans Robertson has added two new professionals to its ranks: Ian Smith and Sarah Steel. Smith joins the firm from eValue IS, Steel transfers from Aon Hewitt – both new joiners boost Hymans Robertson’s sales team. 

With around 750 professionals Hymans Robertson, founded in 1921, is one of the UK’s largest independent actuarial firms. The London-headquartered consultancy supports clients – FTSE 100, FTSE 250, privately owned firms and financial institutions – with a range of actuarial, investment consulting, enterprise risk management, third-party pensions administration and management consulting services.

In the past months Hymans Robertson has bolstered its sales team with two experienced hires. Ian Smith joined the firm as head of distribution from eValue IS where he was head of institutional sales. In his new role, Smith will be responsible for developing sales of the firm’s Guided Outcomes (GO) technology within the HR marketplace (the tool helps HR departments and trustees with, among others, retirement and pensions planning for employees). “As we continue to develop the growth in sales of our GO technology, particularly into the HR market, Ian’s knowledge will be a valuable asset to our business”, comments Paul Waters, Partner and head of Guided Outcomes at Hymans Robertson. 

Reflecting on his move, Smith says he is delighted to have joined Hymans Robertson, adding that he believes the firm has, over the years, developed a reputation for being at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions for the pensions market.

Ian Smith and Sarah Steel join pensions advisory Hymans Robertson

Sarah Steel has been appointed as a Senior New Business Consultant. She joins the business advisory from rival Aon Hewitt – the HR consultancy unit of professional services giant Aon – where she was Sales Director for the firm’s Employee Benefits Business. At Hymans Robertson, Steel’s role will stretch across both the Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC) markets, where she will focus on creating and developing relationships with both trustees and pension sponsors to advise them on any of their pension needs.

“I am really excited to join the team at Hymans Robertson. The firm’s straightforward and friendly approach to partnering with clients makes Hymans Robertson an excellent company to promote and be a part of”, comments Steel on her move. James Verner, Commercial Director at Hymans Robertson, adds “I am delighted to welcome Sarah on board, she will be an excellent addition to the business development team here at Hymans Robertson. Her considerable experience across both the DB and DC markets make her a valuable asset to the firm as we continue to grow our position amongst both Trustee and Reward markets”.

Earlier this year Hymans Robertson promoted seven advisors to Partner level, with five of the batch being female.

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Accenture's Rothco installs new Executive Creative Director

24 April 2019 Consultancy.uk

Jen Speirs is set to take over from Alan Kelly as the Executive Creative Director of Accenture Interactive-owned agency Rothco. Speirs arrives as Kelly takes up the role of Chief Creative Officer at the firm.

Rothco is a full-service creative agency based in Dublin. Founded in 1995, the firm contains more than 150 strategic, creative, technology, design, project management and production professionals located in Ireland’s capital city. The agency strategically plans, designs and produces powerful communications campaigns across Europe for numerous iconic brands, including Tesco, Heineken and Lyons. Internationally recognised for its prowess in the sector, Rothco notably found success at the Cannes Lions awards in both 2015 and 2016.

Such success inevitably drew the eye of Accenture during its extended spending spree to strengthen its digital design and advertising offerings, housed under the Accenture Interactive moniker. A year after purchasing Rothco, Accenture Interactive has since continued this push into the advertising space, acquiring New York and London-based agency Droga5 earlier this month, and adding illustrious clients such as HBO, Amazon and The New York Times to its roster of clients. Despite its purchase, Rothco has also been undergoing its own period of change, however.

With the news that long-term incumbent Alan Kelly had won a promotion from his position as Executive Creative Director (ECD), the agency commenced a hunt for his replacement. Kelly joined Rothco nine years ago as a Copywriter, and has now worked his way up to the role of Chief Creative Officer. Assuming that office, he will pass on his previous role to Jen Speirs, who exits BMF Australia, relocating half way around the world to fill the vacancy.

Accenture's Rothco installs new Executive Creative Director

Speirs was appointed BMF’s Deputy Executive Creative Director in March 2018, having joined BMF as a creative director in 2016 from her previous role at Foxtel, where she was a Freelance Creative Director. Following her arrival at BMF, she worked across brands such as McDonald’s, Carefree, Arnott’s, Berlei, TAL, Bonds, BWS, UN Women and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, while her work has picked up awards at NY Festivals, Clio, AWARD, Cannes, Effies, Media Federation, Caples, and Spikes Asia. Speirs also worked at DDB Sydney as Creative Director for six years, with clients such as Telstra, Lipton and Johnson & Johnson.

Commenting on her new challenge, Speirs said, "When I look at a lot of Rothco's work, like JFK Unsilenced, the #takenotice breast cancer campaign on the Molly Malone Statue, Sleeping Flags – it all has that perfect combination of creativity, innovation and craft… So the opportunity to go and be a part of that, and work with the awesome people I’ve met so far, was far too good to say no to. I can’t wait to get over there and get stuck in.”

Remarking on Speirs’ arrival, Kelly added, "I am chuffed we have poached someone as incredibly talented as Jen Speirs. I think it’s a testament to the work we are doing in Rothco that we are attracting world-class talent like Jen to these shores. Jen is a super addition to the team as she is both gifted and decent, two qualities we always look for when we hire. I also may have told her that Dublin's weather is pretty much the same as Sydney's – hopefully, she hasn't fact-checked this yet."

Related: Accenture's push into the creative sector is an identity crisis.