ANZ insurance general manager Gavin Pearce will take on the role of acting ANZ Wealth managing director while the search for a permanent replacement is underway.
Van Der Wielen will stay with ANZ to ensure a smooth transition before taking up his new position in London at the end of the year.
He will join Friends Life at the end of the year, reporting directly to chief executive Andy Briggs, and become part of the group's executive committee.
Friends Life was formed last year through the amalgamation of the UK operations of Friends Provident and the life assurance businesses of Bupa and Axa UK.
"We are disappointed that John is leaving. He has brought together the previously separate wealth businesses to form ANZ Wealth, which covers more than 3500 staff, 2.5 million customers and the second largest network of financial planners in Australia," ANZ Australia chief executive Phil Chronican said.
"We have built a solid foundation for ANZ Wealth over the last two years.
"We have a clear strategy and I'm confident we can continue to deliver against this by leveraging the strength of our wealth businesses and ANZ's distribution network, while also capitalising on the regulatory reform currently underway." «
