Prudential Financial, Inc., has announced that Mike Estep, head of product for Group Insurance, will succeed Yanela Frias as president of its Group Insurance business following Frias’ appointment as Prudential’s CFO.
The company explained that the change is effective March 15, 2024.
In his new role, Estep will report to Caroline Feeney, head of Prudential’s US Businesses.
Estep, joined the organisation as head of Product for Group Insurance in 2022.
Prudential noted, that since joining the firm, Estep has led all aspects of product strategy.
Before he joined the company, Estep led the voluntary benefits business at Symetra, with profit and loss accountability for product, enrollment, strategy and execution.
In addition, Estep also previously led the group product and voluntary practice at the Guardian Life Insurance Company.
“Mike’s leadership has been instrumental in developing a long-term vision for our product strategy and driving business growth.” said Feeney.
“His exceptional track record and client-first approach will ensure our continued progress in positioning Group Insurance as a leader in delivering comprehensive financial solutions to our clients.
Meanwhile, Prudential also confirmed that Jess Gillespie will succeed Estep as head of product for Group Insurance.
Having spent more than two decades at Prudential, Gillespie has held leadership positions spanning strategic partnerships, national accounts, and distribution.
She currently serves as head of distribution for Group Insurance. In this role, she leads nationwide teams of client service, sales, and product professionals in delivering financial solutions for employers across the United States.
Before she joined the company, Gillespie served in a variety of roles at Cigna, spanning across strategic relationship management, product development, and human resource operations.
“We are fortunate to have a strong bench of leaders across our organization. Mike and Jess’s promotions are indicative of both the value of their contributions to our organization and the real progress we are making toward our vision of becoming a global leader in expanding access to investing, insurance, and retirement security,” added Feeney
