Market moves: Recruitment wonderland

Bollington, Bluefin and The County Group have been busy hiring new employees to name a few on the broker side. Tasker Insurance Group and H&H Insurance Brokers have also taken on new staff.

But insurers and MGAs have been particularly active when it comes to making new hires, with LV recruiting Aviva’s Steve Treloar and Zurich making changes to its UK executive team. Other news includes two appointments to Hiscox’s UK media team and the departure of AIG UK managing director Jacqueline McNamee (see box).

Last but not least Cunningham Lindsey and Transactor made new hires, while Keychoice recruited a whole new team.

Brokers

Bollington Insurance Brokers has hired Karen Adegoke as mid-markets/corporate director. She has 26 years’ experience in insurance broking and most recently worked as the head of office at Aon Manchester. Adegoke will be responsible for leading the mid-market and corporate teams at the broker. In addition, Jade Bond was appointed as account manager covering the South East of the UK.

Meanwhile at RFIB, Dennis Mahoney, former CEO of Aon UK, will transition from his role as executive chairman to become chief executive officer of the broker. Current CEO Jonathan Turnbull will step down after the handover period. Turnbull joined the company in 2008 and has been CEO since October 2011.

Moving on to more specialist fields, Renovation Insurance Brokers hired Chris Harris as an underwriter. The broker said Harris will be responsible for underwriting all products as well as developing and fostering relations with the wholesale market. He has previously worked as an underwriter at Renovation Plan for four years. 

Bluefin appointed Amber Wilkinson, who joined on an interim basis in July, as permanent chief finance officer. The broker also recruited Carl Porter as head of finance operations. Porter joined from Howden Insurance Brokers and has previously held roles at RFIB Group, JMD Specialist Insurance Services and London Special Risks. Reporting to Wilkinson, he will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of finance operations.

In northern England, H&H Insurance Brokers appointed Keil Selby as account handler for the North. His responsibilities will include providing advice and support in general, agricultural and motor insurance. Selby will be based in the company’s Carlisle office and joined the broker from FBD Insurance in Ireland where he worked in the claims department.

Over in the North West, The County Group has made two senior hires. Rob Appleton has joined the broker as group finance director, responsible for both existing company finance and new acquisitions. His work experience includes roles at Chaucer, Saga, Bluefin, Towergate and Powerplace. The company also hired Norrie Erwin as group head of integration, responsible for ensuring the successful transition of all new broker acquisitions, further development of existing branches and enhancing insurer relations. His previous roles include managing director of Westinsure and development director of Ink Underwriting. 

Next up is Tasker Insurance Group which has appointed Jeff Herdman as non-executive chairman. The broker said he had over 30 years’ experience in the insurance and financial services industries, including a position as group managing director of the Oval Group.

Meanwhile Towergate has seen four departures including former group mergers and acquisitions director Ryan Brown, group financial controller Laura Alexander and head of group financial planning and analysis Louise Underwood. Nel Mooy is leaving her role as chief executive officer of personal underwriting at the end of the year. She will be replaced by Alex Fletton, who is currently distribution director of volume underwriting after joining the consolidator from Capita in 2014.

Speaking of exits, Brightside had two more departures last month. Group carrier and capacity director Keith Jackson left the business following an internal restructure. He is now on garden leave. The broker’s chief risk officer Graham Johnston is leaving to take up a post at Thistle.

Insurers & MGAs

Insurers were particularly busy last month. Zurich made a number of changes to its UK general insurance executive team. The provider confirmed that former UK chief claims officer Tony Emms was set to leave the business after 12 years with the company. He will be replaced by Karl Helgesen. Patrick Cohen was appointed as managing director for personal lines and Endsleigh taking over from David Nichols, who had held the role on an interim basis. He will now continue in his position as customer operations director. 

On top of all this UKGI chief operations officer Barry Perkins moved to a role within Zurich’s global operations. The people moves came a fortnight after the insurer revealed that it would be cutting 440 jobs, including up to 50 broker facing roles, from its UK general insurance business.

LV hired Steve Treloar as managing director, general insurance. He is expected to join the company from Aviva during the second quarter of 2016. Treloar most recently worked as managing director of personal lines and has previously held a number of senior roles at Aviva and RBS Insurance. At LV he will be taking over the reins from John O’Roarke, who has said he will remain in the company for another year after stepping down from the role. 

High net worth specialist Hiscox has expanded its UK media team with two new development underwriters, Jade Giltrap and Tyler Peterson. They will be responsible for developing broker and client relationships across the UK and Ireland and growing the book of business. Giltrap previously worked on Hiscox’s Dublin team after joining the insurer from Marsh in 2012. Peterson was previously based in the provider’s Los Angeles office.

Plum Underwriting made the largest number of hires last month. Nick Beckingham, joining from Chubb, was appointed as senior underwriter in the London office for Plum’s HomeWorks product. James Brett took on the role of claims manager with responsibility for the management of the firm’s claims service across its product portfolio. He most recently worked as claims team leader at Lark Insurance. Plum also hired Leigh Woodward as underwriting team manager. She joined from Prestige Underwriting Services and has over 20 years’ experience of the industry. And finally, Reece Birch was appointed as underwriter. Birch was previously at Towergate.

Managing general agent Gresham Underwriting has promoted Adam Bevis from underwriter to business development executive. His main duties will be to develop and build relationships with new and existing brokers for Gresham. Bevis will work closely with Andy Waring who was employed in the same role in October.

Leeds-based UK General has promoted Dean Fairburn to claims director. He has spent almost 10 years with the insurer after joining from RSA in 2006. The company said he had held a variety of positions in commercial property claims and household underwriting. His new role follows the repositioning of some of UK General Insurance Group’s central services functions into personal lines roles. 

Commercial lines specialist Arista has added Mandi Mitchell as senior development underwriter across property and liability classes. She will be based in Arista’s Redhill office and the firm said one of her key roles will be to build relationships with brokers in and around Kent. Mitchell joined from Axa and has over 20 years of industry experience. She has previously held jobs at Belmont International, Portcullis Insurance Brokers and LV.

Speaking of Arista and former chairman Charles Earle has taken on the non-executive chairman role at Advent Solutions Holdings. Earle is also a director and co-founder of the Managing General Agents’ Association.

Pen Underwriting has hired Phil Nichols as underwriting director for its e-solutions business. Nichols has over 20 years’ industry experience and will be responsible for leading the expansion of the Gallagher-owned business’ e-traded household and residential property owner propositions. His latest role was as head of affinity at Canopius and he has also worked at Ageas.

Ace has appointed Andrew Kendrick as senior vice president of the Chubb Group and regional president of the European Group. David Robinson has been promoted to executive vice president, European Group, and president, UK and Ireland while Phil Sharp will serve as chief operating officer for the UK and Ireland property and casualty business. Current Chubb UK and Ireland manager Jeremy Miles will be moving to the post of head of distribution, UK and Ireland.

Others

Loss adjusting firm Cunningham Lindsey has appointed Steve Gargano to the position of broker business development director, covering the South and South East of the UK. Gargano joined the business from Crawford & Company in 2009 as a senior commercial adjuster and prior to entering the loss adjusting profession he spent seven years in broking. 

Insurance distribution group Keychoice has recruited a new team consisting of general manager Liz Mitchell, strategic development manager Claire Faulding and head of insurer relationships Ron Atkinson. Mitchell joined from BGL, Faulding from Marsh and Atkinson from Swinton.

Transactor Global Solutions has appointed Chris Newman to the new role of group chief operating officer as part of a consolidation of the business into an insurer division and a broker division. Prior to this Newman was CEO of subsidiary Transactor London Market and in his new role he will oversee both divisions.