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8 August 2018

rob carr comes out of retirement unable to resist the challenge of helping launch guardian financial services

Protection market veteran Rob Carr ends his brief summer-long retirement to join Guardian as Adviser Development Manager and share his passion for protection with intermediaries once more. 

Guardian, the protection challenger operated by Gryphon Group Holdings, has convinced Rob Carr to come out of retirement for one last big challenge of his own. A sun-kissed Rob will be out of his garden and at his new desk next week, sharing his passion for protection with advisers, this time for the new challenger brand. 

Rob says he couldn’t resist the excitement of a new launch for the second time in his 37-year career. 

He adds: “I retired in April, but when Andy Peters and Mike Devaney approached me about doing something really interesting and new with Guardian I just couldn’t say no. I loved being part of the challenge of launching a new entrant in the protection market the last time I did it, but I thought it was a once in a lifetime experience. It’s brilliant to have the chance to be involved again. I suppose that means I’ve actually been on a sort of sabbatical this summer, rather than retirement.” 

He’s also very excited about what he sees as a new cadre of advisers who want to take the protection message out to new markets and a new generation of clients. 

“The market is receptive to new ideas and new approaches. You will not look at all out of place coming in proposing new ways of doing things, in the way it might have been the case 20 years ago. There is certainly space for a new player and when Guardian delivers on its promises, it will do very well.” 

“Over the years I have advocated the advantages of protection policies being placed into trust. I’m really excited at the innovation that Guardian’s Payout Planner will bring to the market. Advisers now have a really simple option to guarantee that probate delays will be avoided and the claim payments can get to those who need it most immediately.” 

“I get passionate about protection. I come from a family where there was no protection cover and my father died very young. We suffered the financial consequences of my mother having to juggle the finances for the rest of her life. I was five years old, when he died. If you have been through that, it is not difficult to talk with passion about this subject. I love sharing that passion with advisers. That is what motivates me – and motivated me to come back – more than anything else.” 

Mike Devaney, Guardian Head of Strategic Partnerships, said: “Guardian is committed to working in partnership with our distributor partners to support our mutual ambition of growing the protection market. The appointment of Rob as Adviser Development Manager is a clear signal of our commitment. Having worked with Rob for many years, I know he is best in class when it comes to engaging advisers and telling stories that can motivate them to embrace protection as part of their advice process. We have a massive task of educating the market around the innovative proposition we have launched, and there is more to come this year and next. Therefore, it’s great to have Rob as part of my team and I know his appointment will be welcomed by our key strategic partners.’’ 

Andy Peters, Guardian Distribution Director, said: “Guardian has built a first-class sales & marketing team ready to support advisers as we enter the market. Rob is another great signing for Guardian leaving us perfectly placed to build upon the great relationships we have developed with our distribution partners. Rob’s passion for protection and the adviser sector is unrivalled and I am delighted to have him join the business at this critical stage of our market entry.’’ 

-Release ends- 

Notes to editors: 

Brief CV for Rob Carr: Rob has worked in financial services for 37 years. After spending the first 6 years in California as a life and health insurance underwriter, he returned to the UK and has filled marketing and sales roles ever since. For the past 21 years, he’s been involved with adviser development and protection training for Scottish Provident, Bright Grey and Guardian. He’s widely recognised for his passion, enthusiasm and skill in delivering highly relevant and valued training to advisers, making even complex subjects clear and simple. 

Press enquiries to John Lappin, johnlappinmedia@gmail.com and Rachael Welsh, Rachael.welsh@guardianfs.co.uk. 

Guardian Financial Services is an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly 
Through our agreement with Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited (SFA), where SFA provides the balance sheet capacity, including allowing use of existing permissions to write business, we’ll distribute our new protection business through the UK intermediary channel. As an appointed representative of Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited, Guardian Financial Services Limited is the market-facing brand under which we’ll promote our proposition and engage with advisers. 

Background to Guardian Financial Services, owned by Gryphon Group Holdings 
Gryphon Group Holdings announced in December 2017 that it had acquired the Guardian trading name for the protection company it was building. In June 2017, the entrepreneurial firm announced that it had raised £180 million from the city to design, build and launch a protection challenger. 

Guardian’s business partners 
Gryphon Group Holdings is majority owned by Punter Southall Group as the largest equity capital investor. Leadenhall Capital Partners are co-investors and have provided a substantial additional facility to fund the company’s growth plans. Its back-end technology partner is Liss Systems, the UK arm of Nasdaq-listed EXL. Its front-end technology, branding and marketing partner is Space, UK based financial services specialists. Risk partners are Hannover Re and Gen Re.