People
Review of the Year 2024: Woodgate and Clark’s Simon Jones
Simon Jones, client services director at Woodgate & Clark, explains why digital transformation is no longer a differentiator, circularity in property repairs is key to sustainable claims handling and a lack of air travel means Race Across the World is the perfect reality TV show for him.
Ex-Das UK boss Coram departs for UK insurer CEO role
The ex-boss of Das UK, Tony Coram, has returned to former parent company Munich Re as CEO of its primary insurance business, Great Lakes (UK).
Review of the Year 2024: Flood Re’s Stuart Logue
Stuart Logue, interim CEO at Flood Re, reflects on its first Parliamentary drop-in sesson and the Flood Resilient Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show as well as sharing a prediction about Build Back Better.
Pen names Hannah Fry as COO
Gallagher-owned Pen Underwriting has appointed Hannah Fry as chief operating officer joining the executive team on 6 January 2025.
Newbie News: Podium Insurance Brokers
James Blair, CEO of Podium Insurance Brokers, tells Insurance Age how he started the business and how he aims to grow the specialist motorsport broker through word of mouth.
Allianz UK bolsters commercial digital trading team
Allianz UK has revealed a swathe of appointments and promotions in its commercial digital trading team with the investments including creating a dedicated expert digital distribution team for the first time.
Arch names national production lead
Arch Insurance UK regional division has promoted Alex Turner to national production lead, with immediate effect.
Review of the Year 2024: Commercial Express’s Duncan Pritchard
Duncan Pritchard, managing director of Commercial Express would like to leave the term underinsurance behind in 2024, reflects on the amount of time he spent trying to get Oasis tickets, and why it would make perfect sense to appear on TV’s Survivor.
People Moves: 9 – 13 December 2024
Stay in the loop with the latest personnel moves in insurance.
Review of the Year 2024: Markerstudy’s Gary Humphreys
Gary Humphreys, group chief underwriting officer at Markerstudy, hails the completion of the Atlanta deal, dreams of having the MGA’s brand adorn the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and mulls sitting on the sofa and doing Channel 4’s Gogglebox.
Review of the Year 2024: Ageas’ Middle, Linklater, Clarke and Beckett
The senior Ageas team wish the term ghost broking is never uttered again, hope for a sustainable ecosystem for the repair and re-use of electric vehicle batteries, and consider what an insurance brokers showstopper might look like on Great British Bake…
Drazen Jaksic named Zurich UK CEO as Bailey moves to global life role
Drazen Jaksic has been appointed Zurich UK CEO, moving across from being CEO of Zurich Benelux, as Tim Bailey switches to become CEO of the group’s new global life protection business.
Simply Business names Julie Fisher as permanent UK CEO
Simply Business has appointed Julie Fisher as UK CEO having held the role on an interim basis.
Review of the Year 2024: Pen Underwriting’s Nick Wright
Nick Wright, chief development officer at Pen Underwriting, questions the market’s short memory with regards boom-and-bust; is interested in the future of PIB and pan-European consolidation; and offers a pitch to take part in Bear Grylls’s The Island.
Aviva promotes Mark Skillern to head of broker strategic accounts
Aviva has promoted Mark Skillern to head of broker strategic accounts, Insurance Age can reveal, with the provider labelling his promotion as “the final piece in the strategic accounts senior leadership team”, which is led by broker distribution director…
Broking Success: Bletchley’s Angela Irvine
Angela Irvine, sales director of Bletchley, outlines how the Birmingham-based broker is looking to build on its solid foundations whilst its independent status is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Former Eleven Network MD Derbyshire joins Cowens Group in strategic role
Cowens Group has appointed former Eleven Network managing director Dawn Derbyshire as consultant strategic director of its general insurance division.
Coles leads MBO of Ardonagh retail MGA Uris Group
Uris Group, the Ardonagh-owned specialist personal lines MGA and services provider, has been sold to a new vehicle backed by its leader Derek Coles, Insurance Age can reveal.
Review of the Year 2024: Collegiate’s Richard Turnbull
Collegiate managing director Richard Turnbull expresses disappointment with the return of the ‘pay-to-play’ model in broking, surprise at Aon’s acquisition of Griffith & Armour and considers whether 2024 was the ‘era of repeating past mistakes’.
People Moves: 2 – 6 December 2024
Follow the latest insurance personnel moves.
Aviva launches programme for rising stars of the broking world
Aviva has launched a programme targeting “rising stars” in insurance broking, to help brokers develop and retain young talent, Insurance Age can reveal.