Hartford rejiggers life insurance operations

The Hartford (Conn.) Financial Services Group Inc. today announced the realignment of its life insurance operations, dividing them into four market groups. Those four groups, which will focus on consumers, are employer, individual, institutional and international. John C. Walters, president and chief operating officer of Hartford Life, will continue to helm this business and the groups in it. Prior to the change, Hartford Life comprised two divisions, U.S. Wealth Management, and International Wealth Management and Group Benefits. Brian D. Murphy will lead the individual market group, which will focus on wealth creation and protection solutions, combining retail businesses and wholesale operations. James E. Davey will head up the employer market group. Employee benefits solutions will be this group’s specialty, combining The Hartford’s employer retirement plans and group benefits divisions. Stephen T. Joyce will helm the institutional solutions group, covering institutional investment products and Hartford Life private placement. Finally, Peter Smyth will take the reins for international markets, a group that will expand on the company’s reach in Asia and Europe. Hartford Life has also created an operation and technology team, which will be led by Sharon A. Ritchie. That group will focus on technology and services for the company’s distributors.