Sesame Bankhall hires lead researcher

Gravatt will be leading the research team at Sesame Bankhall to meet advisers’ changing needs ahead of the Retail Distribution Review.

He was previously at Distribution Technology where he held the position of senior solutions consultant and was head of pensions and protection research at Tenet Group before that.

George Higginson, chief executive officer at Sesame Bankhall, said: “Our independent in-house research team of highly qualified experts is valued by advisers and this service will become even more important for independent advisers going forward due to the tough regulatory demands being placed on firms.

“Rory brings a wealth of technical product knowledge and a proven track record in successfully leading teams. This latest senior appointment is a further demonstration of how Sesame Bankhall Group is investing in the best industry talent to help our customers run successful businesses.”

Gravatt added: “Sesame Bankhall Group is already in a very strong position with a renowned research team. We must now build on that success by delivering a service that helps adviser firms to write robust long-term business that meets the new regulatory requirements, whatever their business model.

“We will be working closely with advisers and providers to enable our customers to deliver efficient and compliant solutions that are right for their clients.

“With the increasing regulatory and time pressures on advisers, the benefits of a quality research service will be pivotal to a firm’s future success. I look forward to leading the research team and playing my part in driving the business forward.”