People
Broking Success: Customer service is key for retention
Ben Henderson, managing director of Brownhill Group, is looking to expand the family-run broker’s in-house schemes and double gross written premiums.
Review of the Year 2023: Spring Insure’s Paula McManus
Paula McManus, senior PI underwriter at Spring Insure, shares her thoughts on continuing major market withdrawals and recalls Socrates when advising the political parties on how to win her vote at the 2024 General Election.
CII confirms Gill White as acting CEO ahead of Vallance leaving early
The Chartered Insurance Institute has confirmed that current chief customer officer Gill White will become acting CEO at the end of December when Alan Vallance leaves ahead of schedule.
Interview: SiriusPoint’s Rob Gibbs and Alex Hardy
Regional brokers’ interest in SiriusPoint has been piqued by a slew of appointments, most notably involving ex-RSA leaders, and a high profile MGA deal. Emmanuel Kenning finds out what the insurer has to offer and what is coming next.
Freemantle to succeed Perry as FSB Insurance Services MD
FSB Insurance Service has announced that with effect from 1 January 2024, its sales director Katie Freemantle will take over the role of managing director.
Women make up less than 7% of CEOs in insurance sector
Women make up less than 7% of CEOs in the UK insurance industry (29 out of 431), according to research by specialist employment law firm GQ Littler.
People Moves: 11 – 15 December 2023
Follow the latest insurance personnel moves.
Review of the Year 2023: Direct Commercial’s Adam Marsh
Adam Marsh, head of agency and development at Direct Commercial reflects on asking ChatGPT why commercial motor insurance should use AI and why good service is frequently over-promised and under-delivered.
Review of the Year 2023: Clear Group’s Neil Bunce
Neil Bunce, regional managing director at Clear Group, reflects on why penetration – not AI – is his buzzword of the year, and predicts Aviva might make a major UK acquisition in 2024.
Alain Zweibrucker named Axa Retail CEO
Axa has moved Alain Zweibrucker from Switzerland to become CEO of Axa Retail and a member of the UK and Ireland management committee.
Gallagher’s Michael Rea given expanded UK CEO role
Gallagher has promoted Michael Rea to CEO of UK broking and underwriting, subject to regulatory approval.
Markel International launches specialty division in international wholesale
Markel has launched a specialty practice within its international wholesale division bringing together its equine and livestock, marine and energy liability, trade credit, political risk, and surety underwriting teams, as well as its new international…
Allianz targets doubling brokers in Accelerator Programme to 250 next year
Mike Thomas, director of distribution for digital and mid-market at Allianz Commercial, has set his sights on reaching 250 brokers in its Accelerator Programme next year.
Review of the Year 2023: Zurich’s David Nichols
David Nichols, Zurich Insurance UK head of retail reflects on the hype over the ‘war for talent’ and how RSA’s acquisition of NIG is symptomatic of the drive towards e-trading and serving brokers better.
Former RSA employee who stole and sold customer details jailed
An ex-RSA employee has been jailed for stealing customer details and selling them to claims management companies.
Thomas Carroll creates Employee Ownership Trust
Thomas Carroll Group has handed over the reins to its 181 employees as part of an Employee Ownership Trust in a move the broker flagged as key to its long-term succession plan having never entertained the option of a trade sale.
Ex-ABI boss Huw Evans named KPMG UK’s head of insurance
Huw Evans has been appointed head of insurance at KPMG in the UK, replacing Trevor Jones from April 2024 who is retiring from the firm.
Inperio takes two PI underwriters from Liberty
Inperio has hired professional indemnity experts Sam Goodier and Kras Eneva from Liberty Specialty Markets, Insurance Age can reveal.
Review of the Year 2023: Academy Insurance’s Gilles Normand
Academy CEO Gilles Normand explains the problem with election manifestos and why AI poses little threat to the insurance sector as it has yet to get to grips with previous so-called game changers, such as digitisation.
Review of the Year 2023: OneAdvent’s Tim Quayle
Tim Quayle, CEO of OneAdvent, admits relief that the hype around blockchain has rescinded and wonders if it is time for Lloyd’s to turn its iconic building into a shared office space for the market…. with beer on tap.
Review of the Year 2023: Sicsic Adivsory’s Nadege Genetay
Nadege Genetay, partner at Sicsic Advisory, risks hate mail by citing the FCA action on multi-occupancy building insurance as her highlight of 2023 and predicts some brokers might move away from commission to remuneration based on work performed.
People Moves: 4-8 December
Stay in the loop with the latest insurance personnel moves.
ABI adds Blanc, Foley and Boulton to board
The Association of British Insurers has added Aviva’s Amanda Blanc, Axa’s Tara Foley and Clive Boulton of M&G Life Insurance to its board.
Review of the Year 2023: JMG Group’s Nick Houghton
Nick Houghton, CEO of JMG Group, reflects on the handsome multiples being paid for brokers and why he does not like the phrase ‘direction of travel’.