Q&A
Review of the Year 2023: Ageas’s Middle, Beckett, Clarke and Linklater
The Ageas UK management team ponder the plethora of personal lines exits and why a reduction in IPT could be a 2024 election vote winner.
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.
Meet the MGA: Corin Underwriting
Andy Hurrell, the managing director and head of underwriting at Corin, outlines his plans for a business that has made Lloyd’s-on-Sea its home with a strategy that aims to embrace everything good about being a virtual insurer and a recognised MGA.
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.
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.
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Tim Quayle, CEO of OneAdvent, admits relief that the hype around blockchain has rescinded and wonders if it is time for Lloyd’s to turn its iconic building into a shared office space for the market….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.
Review of the Year 2023: Iprism’s Ian Lloyd
Ian Lloyd, CEO of Iprism, reflects on a major M&A deal he did not see coming, and how he could turn childhood promise in shooting/archery into an Olympic podium finish in 2024.
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’.
Review of the Year 2023: Axa’s Sarah Mallaby
Sarah Mallaby, Axa commercial distribution and trading director, reflects on the insurer’s cautious exploration of the opportunities afforded by AI and pushing the boundaries in ‘green’ schemes business.
Review of the Year 2023: Brown & Brown Europe’s Chris Sime
Chris Sime, group markets director at Brown & Brown Europe, reflects on why AI is the 'new black in insurance' and his surprise at the amount of broker M&A still being done
Meet the MGA: Onda
Launched into the UK in October, chief underwriting officer Alex Jomaa explains why managing general agent Onda is on a mission to simplify and demystify cyber insurance for both brokers and customers alike.
Review of the Year 2023: Acrisure’s Mark McIlquham
In the first of our ‘Review’ series Mark McIlquham, president of Acrisure UK Retail, reflects on whether the 15-year cycle will see a large insurer buy a large broker, and how he’d recast the Barbie film with senior figures from its ‘network dream team’
My Insurance Downtime: James MacBeth, managing director, Auto Windscreens
James MacBeth, managing director of Auto Windscreens, offers us a window into his life outside of insurance.
My Insurance Downtime: ThingCo CIO and co-founder Jonathon Valentine
ThingCo CIO Jonathon Valentine gives a glimpse into his life outside insurance. Everyone deserves a bit of downtime, which is where this new Insurance Age feature comes in as we focus on what you do in your spare time.
Broking success: SEP Insurance founder and managing director, Phil Stafford
SEP Insurance founder and managing director, Phil Stafford, has eyes for growth as he plans to expand the firm's office footprint organically in the next 12 months.
My Insurance Downtime: Jade Sugg, account handler at Russell Scanlan
A Nottinghamshire native and avid paddleboarder, Jade Sugg, account handler at Russell Scanlan, shares an insight into life outside the broker’s Wellington Circus home.
My Insurance Downtime: Peter Harvey, deputy CEO at Arc Legal Group
By day, Peter Harvey leads the Arc Legal Group team in developing and implementing its strategic growth plans, but by evening, Peter has a very different role. He’s a successful beef farmer, with products stocked on the shelves of a major supermarket…
Meet the MGA: Jensten Underwriting
Just over one year into its existence, Simon Taylor, wholesale managing director, explains why working under one brand, and pulling together in one direction, is so important to getting the best out of Jensten Underwriting.
Meet the MGA: Incorporated Insurance Group Limited [IIGL]
Underwriting director Dean Surridge and operations director Lyndsey Thompson explain how they have stayed true to their specialism, which is construction, to build and grow the now 10-year-old MGA IIGL.
My Insurance Downtime: Woodgate & Clark managing director James Eveling
Woodgate & Clark managing director James Eveling gives us a look into his life outside insurance.
My Insurance Downtime: Momentum Broker Solutions operations director Hazel Westwood
Momentum Broker Solutions operations director Hazel Westwood gives a glimpse into her life outside insurance.
My Insurance Downtime: Insurance Age content director Jonathan Swift
We know people in insurance are among the most dedicated and passionate when it comes to loving where they work. But everyone deserves a bit of downtime, which is where this new Insurance Age feature comes in as we focus on what you do in your spare time.