Alliance Trust Savings hires new chief operating officer and intermediary sales head

Ms Fower will lead the platform’s operations, change and IT and proposition functions after making to switch from the Prudential Assurance Company, where she was platform and proposition consultant.

Last month Alliance Trust sold its investment management business to Liontrust for £30m but retained the ATS business, which employs more than 200 people in Dundee and Edinburgh.

Former Axa Life Invest UK sales director Lee Badger is also to join as head of intermediary sales and work alongside commercial director, Ed Carey.

His previous roles include sales development manager at Aegon UK and regional sales manager at The Hartford.

The ATS platform is to start overhauling fees for its direct and advised businesses from February 2017, including increasing its “inclusive” account charges for the first time since 2014.

From 1 February, Isa and investment dealing account charges will increase to £225 from £150 per year – a 50 per cent increase.

Alliance Trust Savings chief executive, Patrick Mill, said: “We have achieved a huge amount over the last year: creating an independent board for Alliance Trust Savings, establishing our own executive team, completing the acquisition of Stocktrade and returning to profitability.

“These two senior appointments will help us continue to build on this momentum as we work to develop our services in 2017 and beyond. I am delighted that Allison will be joining my executive team in the newly-created COO role.

“Allison and Lee are key additions to the team and will be crucial in delivering on our ambitious plans to grow assets under administration and cement our position as a leading platform for direct and advised clients.”