The Argus Group has announced three new appointments to its senior management team.

Gary Hitchens joins the company as director of global sales and marketing, Onesimus Nzabalinda has been appointed as head of compliance and risk management, and George Jones takes on the role of group company secretary and legal advisor.

Gerald Simons, president and CEO of the Argus Group, said the appointments would strengthen the company's senior management team.

"As we celebrate our 60th anniversary this year, our businesses continue to perform well," he said.

"However we are conscious that, in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace, we need to constantly improve our operations and infrastructure in order to exceed the expectations of our customers and to meet the requirements of our regulators."

Mr. Hitchens will be responsible for managing the group wide sales force and developing strategies that maximise sales opportunities in Bermuda and Europe for the Argus Group. He has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to relocating to Bermuda for this role, he worked in the UK for a number of large organisations including Ace, American International Group, Marks and Spencer and Prudential.

Mr. Nzabalinda will be primarily responsible for establishing and overseeing effective group risk and compliance management to ensure that the Argus Group and its employees are complying with regulatory requirements. These include Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Regulations as well as internal policies and procedures. He is also responsible for overseeing the internal audit function.

A Bermudian, Mr. Nzabalinda has 13 years of senior management experience. He worked previously for Butterfield Bank as vice-president, operational and fraud risk manager. Prior to this he was employed by HSBC Bermuda in a number of positions relating to compliance and risk management from October 1997 until he joined Butterfield Bank in January 2007.

He is the co-founder and a past presiHe is the co-founder and a past president of the Bermuda Chapter of Information Systems Audit and Control Association.

Mr. Jones will ensure that the company and its employees are compliant with all applicable statutory and legal requirements. He will also provide legal advice and co-ordinate all legal services required by the Argus Group. He will be responsible for organising, attending and overseeing all meetings of the shareholders, the board of directors and its committees, subsidiaries of the company and senior management, reporting to the chief operating officer.

Mr. Jones, who is also a Bermudian, was an associate within the corporate and commercial practice group at Appleby, primarily working with the funds and investment services team. He was called to the Bermuda Bar in October 2006.