John Hancock has made three appointments at its Financial Network business, including that of president, vice president of sales and business development, and assistant vice president of field resources.

Brian Heapps has been named as president, replacing Peter Gordon, who has become general manager of John Hancock Retirement Plan Services.

The other appointments are that of Bruce Harrington, who has been promoted as vice president of sales and business development, and Matt Rigatti, who assumes the newly-created position of assistant vice president of field resources.

As president of JHFN, Heapps acquires responsibility for all aspects of the business, including its national network of independent firms and its broker-dealer, Signator Investors.

Heapps joined John Hancock in 1987 as a financial representative, going on to establish Keystone Financial Management, an independent unit within the firm, a decade later. He subsequently joined the John Hancock home office in 2007, and has since served as executive vice president of agency sales and development.

Harrington, who in addition to his new position will fulfill some aspects of Heapps' former role, assumes responsibility for the firm’s sales across all product lines, as well as relationships with product sponsors and recruiting.

Harrington joined John Hancock in 2010 as head of retirement sales and strategy, and has since created two retirement platforms, one of which caters for the defined contribution market, while the other is aimed at the retirement income market, the firm said.  

Meanwhile, Rigatti, who first joined John Hancock in 1995, will be responsible for strategy implementation and for overseeing the firm’s field-facing teams including firm financing, information technology and supervision.

Rigatti was previously responsible for the management of key operational departments within the firm’s annuity division, including licensing, commissions, and new business, the firm said.