Barker has held senior leadership positions across the insurance, wealth management and protection sectors, and was most recently head of insurance, wealth and asset management for EMEA at Alvarez and Marsal for almost two years.
Before this, he was at Aviva for around a decade, most recently in the role of CEO and managing director, wealth and chair of Aviva Health.
Barker will take up the role in September as interim CEO Philip Howell continues his role as executive chair, where he will support Openwork in its growth journey.
Duncan Crocker, who has been chair through the completion of Bain Capital acquiring a minority stake in Openwork, will return to his role as senior independent director.
Howell said: “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 adviser headcount, introducing new technology solutions and facilitating partner succession.
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“These form the bedrock of our strategy to support more advisers 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.”
Barker (pictured) added: “I feel privileged to be taking the helm of The Openwork Partnership at a time when it holds so much opportunity. The business has a rich history built over decades by its dedicated partners and is defined by its commitment to clients.
“I am excited by the prospect of working with my new colleagues, our partners and Bain Capital to achieve our full potential.”
