Newbie News: Merlin Insurance Brokers
Richard O’Brian, founder and CEO of Merlin Insurance Brokers, has targeted growing the property and construction specialist broker by 80% in 2026 and already has an application in to the FCA to be fully authorised.
Could you explain your insurance background?I’ve been in the market for 25 years now. I did a bit of a stint as an underwriter when I first came in, during four years at Axa.
Most of my career was at [broker] Ross Gower, where I ended up as managing director.
In early 2024 I left, and then we set up Merlin on the back of it, with a couple of colleagues, George Faulkner and Robert Prout. George is essentially a business partner.
When was Merlin launched?We launched on 1 September 2024 as an AR of
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