Barker has had an “impressive” 30-year career serving in senior leadership roles in the insurance, wealth management and protection sectors, the firm said in a statement. He was most recently head of insurance, wealth and asset management EMEA for Alvarez & Marsal. Prior to this, Barker spent 10 years at Aviva including assignments as CEO of Wealth, chair of Aviva Health and CEO of Protection & Health.

Barker will take up his position in September, with interim CEO Philip Howell resuming his role as executive chairman. Duncan Crocker, who stepped into the chair role through completion of the Bain Capital transaction, will also now return to his position as senior independent director.

“2025 is proving to be a momentous year for The Openwork Partnership as we embark on an exciting chapter with the support of Bain Capital. The group is now primed for growth on all fronts with a particular focus on increasing advisor headcount, introducing new technology solutions and facilitating partner succession,” Howell said. “These form the bedrock of our strategy to support more advisors in providing lifetime advice to more clients, and Rob’s track record in leading distribution, driving operational efficiency and leveraging innovative technology set him apart as the CEO of choice for us.”