The move had been expected sinceLe Poidevin was hired at the end of March last year as technical director and deputy chief executive.
Previously a senior tax manager, Guernsey native Le Poidevin has more than 13 years’ experience in financial services in both the UK and Guernsey, coming to the organisation after four years with KPMG. A chartered accountant, she is also a member of the Institute of Directors.
Niven has been with Guernsey Finance since 2006, and will continue to act in a part time consultancy role with the company until the end of 2012, Guernsey Finance said in a statement today.
Guernsey Finance chairman Jim Gilligan said that during Niven’s tenure Guernsey Finance had “led the way in the marketing of Guernsey as an international finance centre”, and in so doing had become a role model for other centres to copy.
Guernsey Finance is a joint collaboration between the States of Guernsey (through its Commerce and Employment Department) and the island’s financial services industry, represented by the Guernsey International Business Association.
It employs eight staff in Guernsey and has a representative office in Shanghai, where there is one member of staff.
‘Huge strides’
Niven said he had “thoroughly enjoyed” his time at Guernsey Finance, during which “huge strides” were made on the industry’s behalf, in the "increasingly competitive world" of international finance.
Niven’s more than 35 years in the financial services industry included having served as chief executive of the Lloyds TSB Offshore Financial Services Group. He is a non-executive director of several Guernsey-based fund and captive insurance companies and is also a fellow of the Institute of Bankers, as well as a chartered director.