Commencing on 29 January 2024, she takes on the role of group executive superannuation and investments business.
With this appointment, Howes will lead AMP’s combined superannuation-master trust and investments businesses, driving its super strategy and overseeing investment performance and management.
Howes has over three decades of experience across policy, strategy, product, business development, legislative change and regulatory relationships, and fund mergers, with expertise in super and insurance across defined benefit, personal and corporate super, group life insurance and direct to customer platforms.
Most recently, she has been a partner in KPMG’s super and actuarial practices since April 2022 but she previously worked briefly at AMP as a director of product strategy and services from 2013-2014.
Her resume also includes over seven years as managing director, superannuation at BT Financial Group, delivering a three-year business simplification program to migrate $31bn and 560,000 members from heritage products to the go-forward BT Super product.
She also helped develop the business’s capability in digital services, building digital journeys and launching a market leading supercheck tool.
Additionally, Howes has been a director at Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) for almost four and a half years and has sat on the Financial Services Council (FSC) superannuation board committee.
“I’m very pleased we have secured a leader of Melinda’s calibre and experience to lead the management and investment performance of the retirement savings of our superannuation members,” said Alexis George, AMP chief executive.
“Melinda is a highly respected leader in the superannuation industry and will be able to build on the significant work we’ve undertaken in recent years to simplify and strengthen our offer for members.
“She joins at a pivotal time for our industry, as we come together with Government and regulators to ensure we do more to provide Australia’s growing number of retirees with the financial confidence to spend and enjoy their savings in retirement.”
In July, AMP named Edwina Maloney and Matt Lawler as group executives of platforms and advice respectively.
At the time, it said it will conduct an internal and external search to fill the post of group executive of superannuation and investments, which will combine responsibilities for the superannuation master trust and investment business.
