The SimplyBiz Group has announced the appointments of Paul Bruns and Elaine Parkes, who join from the Sesame Bankhall Group.

These appointments improve the compliance support proposition currently provided to SimplyBiz Group member firms.

Bruns joins as director of field compliance, as part of a new-look senior compliance team which also includes two new appointments from internal candidate – Richard Nuttall, who takes the role of director of compliance policy, and Mark Greenwood (pictured), in the position of director of compliance services.

Bruns previously spent 14 years at Bankhall, most recently as compliance operations and oversight manager. As part of his new role, he will be responsible for ensuring SimplyBiz Group’s field compliance team has full access to the training and information required to continue to deliver a high level of service to an increasing number of advisers. He will also have a dedicated focus on maintaining a collaborative approach between the group and those who use the firm’s services.

Bruns will be working closely with Nuttall and Greenwood, who have been with the SimplyBiz Group for 13 years and 11 years respectively, to ensure member firms can meet their regulatory requirements. The roles vacated by Nuttall and Greenwood are currently being filled as a wider programme to improve the group’s already compliance proposition.

Elaine Parkes joins the group as head of proposition development. She many years of experience in the fields of both recruitment and proposition design and was instrumental in the development a number of key Bankhall propositions. She is working with a number of large firms to provide bespoke solutions for more complex needs.

Bruns said: “I was drawn to the SimplyBiz Group because of its reputation as a first-class provider of compliance and business support for advisers. They are at the forefront of technology, innovation and customer-service.

“The group has a broad range of services, and offers a solution for any issue that advisers may face.  I am very excited about the next part of my professional journey being as part of the SimplyBiz Group.”

Gary Kershaw, compliance director of the SimplyBiz Group, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Paul and Elaine to the Group, and congratulate Richard and Mark as they take on their new roles.

“Keeping on top of regulatory requirements can be a huge drain on the time and resource of advisers – time which we believe could be much more valuably spent with their clients.  This strengthening of our compliance infrastructure is in recognition of the ever-increasing importance – and complexity – of regulatory policy.  The team will work closely together to determine the strategic direction of our compliance proposition and services.

“I believe we already have the one of the best teams in the marketplace and these appointments are key to ensuring we continue to provide what I believe is already a market leading service to the firms we serve. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved over the past 16 years whilst at the same time being excited about seeing how we can develop it even further.”

Parkes, added: “I was delighted to join the largest supporter of directly authorised advisers, as I am also fully committed to the development and growth of the DA marketplace. The SimplyBiz Group is known throughout the sector as an advocate and supporter of independent financial advice and I am proud to be able to talk to some of the UK’s biggest advisory firms about how we can help them to become even more successful.”