ZEDRA Appoints Dean Blackburn as CEO

ZEDRA, a global specialist provider of Active Wealth, Corporate & Global Expansion, Funds and Pension & Incentives services, today announces the appointment of Dean Blackburn as Chief Executive Officer.  

Having joined the business as Deputy Chief Executive Officer in September 2024, Dean has a proven track record in inspiring and motivating teams - fostering a culture of collaboration, and innovation, which has consistently translated into strong business performance and growth. Dean brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience across the financial and professional services sectors, having previously served as Chief Commercial Officer and Group Head of Institutional Client Services at JTC.  

Based in Jersey, Dean will work closely with the firm’s senior leaders to ensure the continuation of exceptional service delivery for clients.  

Speaking to his appointment, Dean commented, “I am thrilled to step into this role at such a pivotal time in our evolution as a business. Having doubled in size in the past three years alone, we have achieved considerable success expanding into new markets. I look forward to working with our global team of exceptional professionals to continue enhancing our diverse service offering and delivery as we enter this new chapter together.”  

ZEDRA’s Executive Chairman, Bart Deconinck remarked, “Dean’s appointment will come as no surprise to those who know him. He has a sharp commercial outlook, natural leadership abilities and clear vision for the future of ZEDRA. We are confident that Dean will continue our legacy under his leadership, driving the business forward and achieving our ambitions as we evolve.”  

Having worked closely together since Dean joined ZEDRA, Ivo Hemelraad will now move to a non-executive director role on the Group Holdings board as Dean takes up the Chief Executive Officer role.  

Bart Deconinck continued, “Ivo’s move to a non-executive role marks the end of an incredible era. At the core of our operations and leadership team from the outset of his journey with us, Ivo leaves an unmistakable legacy that I know the team will proudly continue.”  

Dean’s appointment marks an exciting chapter for ZEDRA as the firm continues to expand its global presence and service offerings, while further strengthening its position as a trusted partner, supporting both their clients and employees in achieving their ambitions.  

About ZEDRA  

ZEDRA is a global specialist provider of Active Wealth, Corporate & Global Expansion, Funds and Pension & Incentives services, all aligned under one common goal: to embrace the future with certainty.  

The firm’s highly experienced teams enable high net worth individuals and families as well as medium to large sized companies, pension funds and trustees, asset managers and their investors to focus on their core activities by choosing ZEDRA as their trusted partner. As an experienced, reliable and innovative adviser, ZEDRA helps them successfully navigate estate planning, governance and global operations.  

Ultimately, what ZEDRA delivers is complete peace of mind, knowing its expertise is supported by a robust, ethical approach, meeting the local and international requirements of an increasingly demanding regulatory environment.  

ZEDRA inherited a wealth of knowledge and experience following its acquisition of the trust businesses of a renowned bank in 2016. This solid foundation combined with innovative thinking has allowed ZEDRA to grow rapidly in a competitive marketplace to a team of over 1,300 industry experts across 17 key locations throughout the UK, Asia, the Americas and Europe.  

www.zedra.com  

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