Mark Frecklington, 65, who led Asteron Life’s independent financial adviser distribution channel, was killed in a motorcycle accident at the weekend.

He had been with the insurer for many years, overseeing its commitment to the third-party advice channel.

Adviser Peter Leitch said Frecklington would be sorely missed by insurance advisers and everyone who knew him.

“My thoughts go to his friends and family. He was a top guy.”

Leitch said Frecklington understood advisers well. He had a background with AMP, where he started his career as an adviser.

Fred Dodds, chief executive of the Institute of Financial Advisers, said it was a big loss to the industry.

“He was a really nice guy - a tragic accident. He will have scores of messages not only of sympathy but for his dedication to adviser world and latterly his and Asteron's focus on spread commission - he always wanted to see advisers with businesses not transaction salespeople.”

Russell Hutchinson, of Chatswood Consulting, said an “awful lot” of people would miss Frecklington. He had been an advocate of responding to diversity in the market in Auckland and had a clear understanding of the issues affecting modern advisers, Hutchinson said. “He had been involved in third-party distribution for decades in one way or another, and on the sharp end, too.”

Suncorp New Zealand chief executive Paul Smeaton said: "It is with shock and great sadness that we learned of the tragic passing of Mark Frecklington over the weekend.

"Mark was a well-respected and popular member of Suncorp New Zealand, most recently in the role of Executive Manager, Life Distribution for Asteron Life within the Suncorp New Zealand leadership team.

"Mark was incredibly well connected in the life adviser community, where he played a positive leadership role with our advisers and business partners.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with Mark’s family, and we would ask that you respect their privacy at this difficult time."

Industry commentator David Whyte, formerly of AIA, said Frecklington was "one of the industry's gentlemen".

"He was from the school that believed in the value of personal relationships in the industry and that the key to success was establishing, developing, and maintaining them. For Mark, any proposal, suggestion, or innovation was measured against the criteria of advancing or endangering people relationships.

"Technology, for example, was an enabler - a means to an end, and the end was a more effective, more meaningful, and more successful relationship. I never heard Mark utter a serious criticism about anyone, and I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. His colleagues of a similar vintage likely accept that some of their peers will fall prey to illness, but to lose such a valued colleague to accident seems unfair and unjust. Freckles will be missed by many and forgotten by none."

SERVICE DETAILS

A service to celebrate Mark's life will be held at Eden Park, North L5 Lounge, Walters Rd, Kingsland on Wednesday, 31 January at 11.00am. To be followed by private Interment. The family invite you to bring a photo to be placed on Mark's memorial board.