Personnel Changes: New York Life, Hartford, Others

Haier New York Life Insurance Company Ltd. has hired Xiaoxia Zhao to be president and chief executive officer.

Haier New York Life, Shanghai, is a joint venture of New York Life Insurance Company, New York, and the Haier Group, Qingdao.

Zhao previously was executive vice president at AXA-Minmetals Assurance Company Ltd., Shanghai, where he was responsible for establishing alternative distribution capabilities, driving agency growth and performance in the Shanghai branch and East Region, and gaining regulatory approval for the group insurance business.

Zhao has a law degree from Beijing University. He is a director of the China Insurance Association and the China Insurance Institution.

In other personnel news:

- Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Hartford, has promoted David Levenson to be chief operating officer of Hartford Life Insurance K.K., Tokyo, and Lyndon Oliver to chief product and competitive intelligence officer at the Japanese unit.

Levenson previously was chief product and distribution officer at the Japanese unit, which manages $30 billion of Japan’s $108 billion in variable annuity assets.

Oliver has been a senior vice president in the Hartford international wealth management operations in Simsbury, Conn.

- Assurant Inc., New York, has promoted Robert Lewis to be senior vice president and chief information officer, corporate technology group.

Lewis previously was chief information officer for Assurant Specialty Property.

Lewis has a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University.

- Lincoln National Corp., Philadelphia, has announced 3 executive changes at its new retirement income security ventures group and 2 changes at its financial planner/advisor recruiting operations.

The company has promoted Duane Bernt to head of research and development at the retirement income security operation, from corporate treasurer at the parent company.

The company has promoted Tom Faenza to head of retirement income security project management and strategy, from associate vice president of retirement income strategy, and it has hired Kevin O’Fee to be head of retirement income security service strategy, product and service experience.

O’Fee previously was a managing director at the New York Life Investment Management retirement strategies group, a unit of New York Life Insurance Company.

Meanwhile, Lincoln National’s retail distribution division has hired Dee Morgan to manage recruitment of experienced financial services representatives in the Midwest, and the division has hired David Taksen to manage recruitment of experienced financial services reps in the Northeast.

Morgan previously was a vice president in the wealth management group at Compass Bancshares Inc., Birmingham, Ala.

Taksen previously was regional director of branch office development at Securities America Inc., Omaha.

- Symetra Life Insurance Company, Bellevue, Wash., has promoted Tommie Brooks to vice president and chief actuary.

Brooks succeeds Margaret Meister, Symetra’s chief financial officer.

Brooks previously was managing actuary for Symetra’s life insurance subsidiaries.