Sesame Bankhall Group (SBG) has appointed a dedicated team to boost adviser recruitment as part of plans to grow Sesame’s network.
Chris Astle has stepped into the role of national recruitment manager, overseeing all recruitment activity.
Chris, returning for his second stint at Sesame, has more than 20 years’ experience in financial services and joins from Primis Mortgage Network, where he was head of recruitment.
Sesame has also appointed Gina Hurn as a recruitment support consultant to help Chris recruit new advisers and support network growth. Gina also joins from Primis, where she has spent the past four years as broker relationships manager.
They are tasked with boosting recruitment for Sesame’s network and strengthening SBG’s support for the UK’s adviser community.
As well as recruiting to the network, both Chris and Gina will also support member firms with their own recruitment efforts, helping them find and attract new talent.
Toni Smith, director of Sesame at Sesame Bankhall Group, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Chris back to Sesame at such an exciting time for the network. His deep understanding of the adviser market, combined with his track record of supporting firms at every stage of their journey, makes him ideally placed to lead our new recruitment unit.
“This is the first time we’ve established a dedicated function focused solely on growth, and it reflects the scale of our ambition. We want Sesame to be the network of choice for advisers looking to start, run, grow, and ultimately exit their businesses – and Chris will play a key role in making that vision a reality.”
Chris added: “I’m thrilled to be back at Sesame. I’ve kept a close eye on the business since I left, and over the past year it’s been great to see some fantastic people join the team and step into key roles.
“I’ve stayed in touch with many of the brokers I worked with during my previous time here, and what really stands out is how many of them are still part of the Sesame network. That says a lot about the strength of the proposition and the support advisers receive.
“Ultimately, I came back because I can see the ambition and drive within the business. My job now is to make sure more advisers discover what makes this network such a great place to be part of.”
