Media release
24 June 2025
Mr. Chris de Bruin appointed as the future Group Chief Executive Officer of Acenda Group
Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia congratulates Mr. Chris de Bruin on his appointment as the future Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Acenda Group, which will include Acenda (formerly MLC Life Insurance) and Resolution Life Australasia.
Mr. de Bruin’s appointment follows Nippon Life’s announcement in December 2024 that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Resolution Life. On completion of this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to occur in the second half of 2025, Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia will merge to form one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. de Bruin brings a wealth of experience, from an exceptional 25-year career in executive roles in the financial services sector globally. His appointment as the Acenda Group CEO further strengthens the leadership of the merged group, in concert with the previously announced Chair, Mr. Craig Dunn, and Independent Non-Executive Directors. Mr. de Bruin’s appointment will take effect upon completion of the transaction.
Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia extend their sincere thanks to the current Acenda CEO, Mr. Kent Griffin and Resolution Life Australasia CEO, Mr. Tim Tez for their exceptional leadership and dedication during their tenure. Their contributions have laid a strong foundation for the future success of the Acenda Group as the company begins its new chapter. Mr. Griffin and Mr. Tez will remain with the company for a period and will support Chris with his onboarding.
Mr. Satoshi Asahi, President of Nippon Life said,
"It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to Mr. de Bruin upon his appointment as the new CEO of the Acenda Group. I am confident that he brings the experience and strategic insight essential for steering the organization through the integration process and beyond.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Kent Griffin for his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Acenda during his appointment.
“Under Mr. de Bruin’s leadership, I believe the Acenda Group will enhance its position in the market while consistently delivering exceptional service and value to its policyholders. I look forward to supporting him as he embarks on this important journey to lead our Australian and New Zealand operations.”
Sir Clive Cowdery, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Resolution Life, said,
“This is an important time for the industry in Australia and New Zealand, and Acenda’s customer focussed agenda will greatly benefit from Chris de Bruin’s strategic vision. I would like to thank to Tim Tez for the outstanding job he has done as CEO of Resolution Life Australasia during these last three years.”
Mr. Craig Dunn, the future independent Chair of Acenda said,
“On behalf of everyone at the new Acenda Group, I extend a generous welcome to Mr. Chris de Bruin as our new CEO. Having had the pleasure of working with Chris before, I know the strength of leadership and strategic insight he will bring to the role, and the great passion he has for creating an exceptional experience for both customers and employees alike. I pass on my sincere thanks and best wishes to both Kent and Tim for their dedication and commitment to leading the organisations that will make up the Acenda Group, and for fostering the development of the growth platforms that I know will provide a strong foundation for the future success of Acenda.”
Mr. Chris de Bruin said,
“I am excited to join the Acenda Group at the start of this new chapter. I would like to thank Nippon Life President Satoshi Asahi and Resolution Life Founder & CEO Sir Clive Cowdery for the opportunity. Building on the foundations established under the leadership of Kent Griffin & Tim Tez, I look forward to working with our Chair Craig Dunn, the Board, our shareholders and the exceptional team across the Acenda Group to achieve our vision to provide outstanding service and value to our customers and partners.”
Biography – Mr. Chris de Bruin
Chris de Bruin has more than 25 years of global executive experience in Financial Services, including Business Banking, Retail Banking, Fintech, and Digital Banking. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive of Consumer & Business Banking at Westpac until September 2023. Before Westpac, Chris was the CEO of Deem Finance, a major non-bank financial institution in the Middle East. He joined Deem from Zafin, a FinTech company providing customer-centric product and pricing solutions, where he was President. Chris spent 13 years at Standard Chartered Bank, which acquired 20twenty Financial Services, the internet banking platform he co-founded, where he held senior roles across Asia and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, Chris worked as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company in London.
Mr. de Bruin’s appointment follows Nippon Life’s announcement in December 2024 that it had agreed to acquire 100% of the shares of Resolution Life. On completion of this transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to occur in the second half of 2025, Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia will merge to form one of the largest life insurance businesses in Australia and New Zealand.
Mr. de Bruin brings a wealth of experience, from an exceptional 25-year career in executive roles in the financial services sector globally. His appointment as the Acenda Group CEO further strengthens the leadership of the merged group, in concert with the previously announced Chair, Mr. Craig Dunn, and Independent Non-Executive Directors. Mr. de Bruin’s appointment will take effect upon completion of the transaction.
Acenda and Resolution Life Australasia extend their sincere thanks to the current Acenda CEO, Mr. Kent Griffin and Resolution Life Australasia CEO, Mr. Tim Tez for their exceptional leadership and dedication during their tenure. Their contributions have laid a strong foundation for the future success of the Acenda Group as the company begins its new chapter. Mr. Griffin and Mr. Tez will remain with the company for a period and will support Chris with his onboarding.
Mr. Satoshi Asahi, President of Nippon Life said,
"It is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to Mr. de Bruin upon his appointment as the new CEO of the Acenda Group. I am confident that he brings the experience and strategic insight essential for steering the organization through the integration process and beyond.
“I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Kent Griffin for his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of Acenda during his appointment.
“Under Mr. de Bruin’s leadership, I believe the Acenda Group will enhance its position in the market while consistently delivering exceptional service and value to its policyholders. I look forward to supporting him as he embarks on this important journey to lead our Australian and New Zealand operations.”
Sir Clive Cowdery, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Resolution Life, said,
“This is an important time for the industry in Australia and New Zealand, and Acenda’s customer focussed agenda will greatly benefit from Chris de Bruin’s strategic vision. I would like to thank to Tim Tez for the outstanding job he has done as CEO of Resolution Life Australasia during these last three years.”
Mr. Craig Dunn, the future independent Chair of Acenda said,
“On behalf of everyone at the new Acenda Group, I extend a generous welcome to Mr. Chris de Bruin as our new CEO. Having had the pleasure of working with Chris before, I know the strength of leadership and strategic insight he will bring to the role, and the great passion he has for creating an exceptional experience for both customers and employees alike. I pass on my sincere thanks and best wishes to both Kent and Tim for their dedication and commitment to leading the organisations that will make up the Acenda Group, and for fostering the development of the growth platforms that I know will provide a strong foundation for the future success of Acenda.”
Mr. Chris de Bruin said,
“I am excited to join the Acenda Group at the start of this new chapter. I would like to thank Nippon Life President Satoshi Asahi and Resolution Life Founder & CEO Sir Clive Cowdery for the opportunity. Building on the foundations established under the leadership of Kent Griffin & Tim Tez, I look forward to working with our Chair Craig Dunn, the Board, our shareholders and the exceptional team across the Acenda Group to achieve our vision to provide outstanding service and value to our customers and partners.”
Biography – Mr. Chris de Bruin
Chris de Bruin has more than 25 years of global executive experience in Financial Services, including Business Banking, Retail Banking, Fintech, and Digital Banking. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive of Consumer & Business Banking at Westpac until September 2023. Before Westpac, Chris was the CEO of Deem Finance, a major non-bank financial institution in the Middle East. He joined Deem from Zafin, a FinTech company providing customer-centric product and pricing solutions, where he was President. Chris spent 13 years at Standard Chartered Bank, which acquired 20twenty Financial Services, the internet banking platform he co-founded, where he held senior roles across Asia and the Middle East. Earlier in his career, Chris worked as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company in London.