The Openwork Partnership has announced the appointment of Rob Barker as its chief executive officer.

Barker beings 30 years of experience to the role, having held senior leadership roles in the insurance, wealth management, and protection sectors. He was most recently head of insurance, wealth and asset management EMEA at Alvarez & Marsal. Prior to this, he spent 10 years at Aviva in a variety of positions, including CEO of wealth, chair of Aviva Health, and CEO of protection & health. Barker will join the financial adviser network in September, with interim CEO, Philip Howell, assuming the role of executive chair.

LGT Wealth Management has named Kirsty Thomson as a wealth planner in its Edinburgh office.

Thomson has more than 15 years of experience supporting high net worth individuals since becoming a solicitor in 2009, with particular expertise in retirement and pension planning, inheritance tax, and wealth structuring. Most recently, she was divisional director at RBC Brewin Dolphin’s Edinburgh office. Prior to this, Thomson held roles at PwC and Turcan Connell. In her new role, Thomson will work with clients to develop and deliver financial strategies that reflect their long-term goals.

Quilter Cheviot has appointed Yumna Yusuf as a responsible investment analyst.

Yusuf joins Quilter Cheviot from Schroders, where she was climate engagement associate within its sustainable investment team, and co-developed and implemented a climate engagement and escalation framework. Prior to this, she spent six years in government roles, including at Ofsted, the Department for Transport, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, where she served as an official climate negotiator for the UN COP25 and COP26. At Quilter Cheviot, Yusuf will report to head of responsible investment, Gemma Woodward, and will support the firm’s stewardship programme and thematic engagement efforts.

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