Sell outs or saviours?

Axa's splash into commercial broking has sent tidal waves through the industry and heralded the emergence of an insurer-owned consolidator. Richard Adams met Paul Meehan, Chris Blackham and Stuart Reid to talk strategy and ask if they have sold out UK broking in the process

It is worth leaving brass tacks and business matters aside for a moment to note the way this seemingly incommensurable trio interacts. Despite being vastly different characters and with speculation that it could be a blood-on-the-carpet clash of the egos, there is a palpable click between them that is hard to fake. This seems to arise from a shared business ethos and conviction about where and how insurance meets the customer, as will become clear.

A more pressing matter for many though is the