UK-based Sesame Bankhall Group, a network support service for financial advisors, has confirmed that its executive chairman, Ivan Martin, has left the firm after six years.

In light of Martin’s departure, current senior independent director of the Sesame Bankhall board, John Cowan, will act as a non-executive chairman. The firm is not currently looking to recruit a replacement executive chairman at this stage, a spokesperson told this publication.

Martin, whose intention was always to “step away from leading the business” has left the firm to “focus on other business interests”.

Meanwhile, George Higginson will continue in his role as chief executive. Higginson joined Sesame Bankhall as chief operating officer in January 2011, and was appointed to the newly-created role of CEO in November 2011.

In other recent developments, last month, Sesame Bankhall Group said that it had nearly doubled its trading profits to £4.1 million (about $6 million) in 2012 from £2.2 million in 2011.