PPS Mutual has appointed Voula Makris as Senior Business Development Manager for Victoria, reporting to Shadia Kouzma, the State Manager.
The company says in her new role Makris will drive growth across Victoria, working with PPS Mutual’s accredited adviser network to strengthen risk insurance capability, support sustainable practice development and help advisers deliver high-quality protection outcomes for professional clients.
It says she brings more than three decades of financial services experience spanning business development, adviser relationships, distribution and client service. She joins PPS Mutual from Acenda, where she served as BDM.
She previously held senior distribution roles at iExtend and Integrity Life, following almost 12 years as a BDM at CommInsure. Earlier in her career, she worked at Colonial First State and AMP. She has also earned industry recognition, including a BDM of the Year award for Victoria and Tasmania.
Kouzma says the appointment was about more than expanding PPS Mutual’s distribution capability; it reflected the insurer’s commitment to supporting a strong and sustainable risk advice profession.
Insurers have a role to play beyond designing and distributing products…
“The long-term health of Australia’s life insurance sector depends on a strong and sustainable advice profession. Insurers have a role to play beyond designing and distributing products,” she says.
“Advisers need business development partners who can help them address the practical, technical and commercial challenges they encounter every day. Voula brings extensive market knowledge, deep relationships across the advice channel and a thoughtful, solutions-focused approach to supporting advisers and helping them strengthen their businesses and deliver better client outcomes.”
…business development is often discussed in terms of growth, but for me it starts with being useful to advisers…
Makris says business development is often discussed in terms of growth “…but for me it starts with being useful to advisers. That means understanding how their practice operates, getting across the technical detail and being a reliable partner as they support their clients and grow their business.
“Ultimately, there is a client behind every policy. The better the support we give advisers, the better placed they are to recommend protection that reflects each client’s circumstances and gives them confidence in the protection they have in place, should they need to rely on it,” she says.
The company says the appointment builds on PPS Mutual’s broader investment in the risk advice profession, alongside initiatives such as its Risk Practice of the Year Awards, which recognises specialist practices demonstrating excellence in life insurance and provides practical insights to strengthen their operations (see: Applications Open for Risk Practice of the Year Award).
