Market moves: Busy bees and brokers

Insurers have been busy bees for the past few weeks, ensuring a small victory over the brokers in regards to number of appointments made for the second consecutive month. Many of the major insurers including RSA, Ageas, Aviva, Allianz and Axa served up plenty of people news, while Canopius recruited a new CEO and HSB welcomed a new chief operating officer. However, there has been quite a bit of activity on the broker side as well. Arthur J Gallagher led the way when it, as the box shows, finalised its international brokerage leadership team by hiring both a chief operating officer and a chief risk officer, in the process adding four to its executive committee. Towergate, Hayes Parsons and La Playa are among the other brokers that have made new hires, as well as Thomas Carroll Group and Ropner Insurance. It seems the arrival of summer does not equal relaxing times at the beach for the insurance industry.

Brokers

The past few weeks has seen quite a few broker moves. To start with, Arthur J Gallagher has taken on Michael Rea as chief operating officer and Carol Richmond as chief risk officer (see box). In addition, the broker added Paul Cousins to its binding authority and facility division where he will take on the role of managing director of specialty.

Over at Towergate, former Swinton director of commercial Carolyn Callan was hired as business development and marketing director. Callan left