Market moves: Underwriting boost and a nod to brokers

Commercial underwriting dominated the developments in the insurer community this month with both MMA and Ageas appointing commercial specialists. A host of changes at MMA saw Irene McFarlane appointed to the position of senior regional underwriter in the Newcastle team while Matthew Giles joined the Reading team in the same 
role. Brian Johnston was promoted to the identical position in the Glasgow team and Sally Chamberlain 
stepped up to regional underwriter in Manchester. 
In addition, Nick Dinsdale came on board with the 
central commercial lines underwriting team in Reading.

At Ageas Roy Watkinson took on the position of head of commercial pricing and underwriting with a remit to support growth in commercial lines business. Leading a team of more than 100 employees, he will look to strengthen broker relationships. Another firm that addressed underwriting was Travelers, which completed the appointment of not one, but four new chief underwriting officers. Ian Helmore heads business insurance and Steven Pollock leads on professional risks, in addition to Nick Rnjack and David Bourke who were appointed to Travelers Syndicate Management and Travelers in Ireland respectively last year.

One insurer that was less dramatic in its output was Chartis. Nicolas Aubert 
(left) became managing director 
for the UK. The former head of South Europe for the insurer said the provider was “coming out of the soft cycle in good shape”. Axa, on the other hand, did not use its appointment to call a hardening market. That would have been a surprise. What wasn’t was its return to Towergate. Hot on the heels of Amanda Blanc and Matthew Reed, Max Carruthers has made the transition to become chief operating officer as the insurer looks to “re-establish” its position “at the forefront of the commercial market”.

Towergate, meanwhile, remained busy themselves. Not only did it continue the glorious Market moves tradition of making changes in Scotland, but it 
also announced developments south of the border. Stuart George and Peter Fraser both left Gallagher Heath for Towergate’s Edinburgh office while Nicola Pollicott and Richard Lloyd joined the Nottingham office to support future growth in the East Midlands. Towergate-owned Powerplace completed the Great British clean sweep by appointing Phil Warman as regional sales manager for 
Wales, West and Central. It 
was a theme Jelf also warmed 
to as it unveiled both a North West sales director, Alan Sumner (left), and a South West regional managing director, 
Lee Davey.

Another pair looking to “reach out” to brokers was This Insurance and This London Market, both part of Thistle Insurance Services. Simon Hurt, formerly of Keychoice Underwriting, and David Hinks, previously at Allianz, have both been appointed as broker development executives. 
Mr Hurt will focus on the 
North of England while Mr 
Hinks concentrates on the 
South West with both dealing 
in property, liability, motor 
fleet and professional 
indemnity issues.

Two final moves demanded attention. Firstly, Beazley wasted no time proving correct Market move’s assertion last month that the energy sector was one to keep an eye on. It has appointed Matthew Holmes to head the company’s energy team. Joining from Catlin, his new employer said it expected its participation in the energy market to continue to grow. Clearly still an area to keep watching.

Which only leaves the appointment of Nigel Hayden at specialist Lloyd’s broker Ellis Clowes & Company to bring down the chequered flag on this edition. Formerly of Lockton, Mr Hayden has joined his new employer’s commercial motor sport division to help it lead the market sector across the globe. According to the company, he has a vast amount of experience in a career working with governing bodies and associated clients, including track day operators and circuits.