Phoenix Group (“Phoenix”), the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business, announces the appointment of Michela Bariletti as new Chief Credit Officer within its Asset Management team. In this newly created role, Michela will lead the Credit Research and Internal Credit Ratings team for all asset strategies pursued by Phoenix Group, which will have capabilities to assign internal ratings to private credit and illiquid assets.      

Michela joins Phoenix from Pension Insurance Corporation where she served as Head of Ratings and Credit Research. Prior to that, Michela spent 14 years at S&P Global Ratings, London, most recently as Senior Director, Infrastructure Ratings – EMEA Analytical Head, managing a team of 20 analysts and a portfolio of over 150 issuers in the infrastructure sector. The portfolio included corporate and project finance transactions covering social infrastructure, road, transport and renewables. Michela started her career at Goldman Sachs within the Equities Division. 

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Eakins, Chief Investment Officer, Phoenix Group, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Michela to Phoenix and in particular, the Asset Management Team as Chief Credit Officer. Michela brings with her vast financial ratings expertise, which will be key to Phoenix as we continue to grow our investment portfolio in different asset classes. Her twenty years of experience within the financial services industry will help us significantly to build out our existing credit ratings framework to be market leading. We’ll have the capability to assess an even wider range of illiquid assets to support our growth aspirations and our sustainable approach to investment as we look to increasingly invest to support our post-Covid recovery and help build back better and greener. ”

Michela Bariletti added:

“It is hugely exciting to be joining Phoenix at such an important time. Its journey to become the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business has been one that I have watched with interest. I am delighted to  be part of that now and working with my new colleagues to help secure the best investment outcomes for our customers.”

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Enquiries

Dilesh Sangaran
PR Manager
Phoenix Group
07974 604 323 / 0203 735 0942
Dilesh.sangaran@thephoenixgroup.com

Notes to editors

About Phoenix Group

Phoenix Group is the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business with c.14 million customers and £338 billion of assets under administration across both our Heritage and Open businesses.

Our Heritage business, where we are the market-leader, is focused on the safe and efficient management of insurance policies. The Heritage business comprises products that are no longer actively marketed to customers, and where we have stepped in as the custodian of these policies. We have built this business through the consolidation of over 100 legacy insurance brands. 

Our Open business comprises products that are actively marketed to new and existing customers and has five separate business units. Our Workplace pensions and Customer Savings & Investments (“CS&I”) units operate under the Standard Life brand and manufacture long-term savings and retirement products to support people saving for their future. 

The Retirement Solutions unit within Open includes both vesting annuities and our Bulk Purchase Annuity (“BPA”) business, where we acquire annuities and deliver the financial stability required to secure pensions currently provided by corporates. 

The Open business comprises our market leading brand – “SunLife” – which sells a range of financial products specifically for the over 50s market and our European business unit which spans Ireland, Germany and the International Bond segment in the UK and operates under the Standard Life brand.