AWI chief executive steps down

Ben Heap has stepped down as chief executive officer and managing director of Australian Wealth Investments (AWI) following a strategic review and board decision to integrate AWI as one business focussing on its digital wealth properties - InvestSMART, YourShare and Intelligent Investor. Heap joined AWI in November 2013 after seven years as the head of UBS Global Asset Management Australasia.

Ron Hodge, the current head of InvestSMART, has been appointed as AWI's chief operating officer and Paul Clitheroe, who succeeded former chair Andrew Barnes, has been appointed executive chair.