Welcome to another working week, here’s a round up of the latest job moves and senior hires across the insurance sector;
HF
Law firm HF (Horwich Farrelly) today announces that James Power will take up the role of Head of the Southampton Office.
James joined HF in November 2015 as a newly qualified solicitor, rising quickly through the ranks to become a Partner. His technical capability and dedication have led to him succeeding Rod Evans, who hands over to James as he retires after over 35 years as one of the UK’s leading CAT lawyers and current lead at Southampton.
Ronan McCann, CEO & Managing Partner at HF said “James was the natural choice to head up our Southampton office, building on the solid foundations laid by Rod Evans. Rod has been a tremendous asset to HF, establishing our Southampton office in 2015 and he’ll be sorely missed, but I know James will now take the office from strength to strength.”
James Power, Partner and Head of the Southampton Office at HF said “This is an exciting time for HF and the growth of our Southampton office is a key strategic aim. We have a talented team here, dedicated to delivering the best in market service to their valued and loyal client base. I am proud to be leading them as we move forward.”
DAB BEACHCROFT
International law firm DAC Beachcroft (DACB) is pleased to announce the appointment of leading catastrophic and large loss claims specialists Philip D’Netto and Daniel Clegg as partners in its national Complex and Catastrophic Injury practice, within its Claims Solutions Group.
Philip and Daniel, who have joined DACB’s Manchester office, both moved from Plexus Law. There, Philip had led its catastrophic injury team since 2018, working with Daniel who joined as a partner in 2017.
“This double partner hire is a very significant appointment for our Claims Solutions Group, as we look to implement our ambitious plans to build our catastrophic and complex injury claims offering in Manchester and deliver a truly national capability to our insurer clients. Philip and Daniel will play key roles in enabling us to achieve these strategic aims, at a regional and national level,” commented Craig Dickson, CEO of DAC Beachcroft’s Claims Solutions Group. “We’re delighted to welcome them to DACB.”
SOMPO
Sompo International, a leading global provider of commercial and consumer property and casualty (re)insurance, has announced the appointment of Stefano Chiurlo as Head of Accident & Health Europe. He will be based in Milan, Italy.
Patrick Corbett, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Accident & Health at Sompo International Insurance, said:
Stefano Chiurlo comes to Sompo International with more than 15 years of insurance experience, most recently as Group Head of Health & Accident for the Generali Group. Before joining Sompo International, he held a number of senior technical and leadership roles in the A&H segment with Generali Group, AXA XL, XL Catlin, AXA Italy, ACE and AIG. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from the Università Statale di Milano, Italy.
WILLIS TOWERS WATSON
WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory and broking solutions company, has announced the appointment of Andrew Brunero as the global head of downstream energy broking for its natural resources business. Brunero joins WTW from Marsh Energy, after spending more than a decade at the company, having worked across London, Houston and Dubai, where he is currently based. In his new position, Brunero’s initial focus will be on building WTW’s production and growth strategy internationally.
Additionally, WTW has named Will Fremlin-Key as the global head of mining and metals for its natural resources business. Will joins WTW from Gallagher, where he led a specialty team in mining and heavy industry across London. In his new position, Fremlin-Key will be responsible for coordinating and developing WTW’s Mining & Metals presence globally, executing his broad industry knowledge across casualty, management liability, cyber, marine, energy and property.
WTW has also announced the appointment of Ahmed Abdel-Gawad as the company’s head of natural resources for the CEEMEA region. His role is effective immediately. Based in Egypt, Abdel-Gawad joined WTW in 2021 as head of specialty for Egypt, having previously worked at Aon. Abdel-Gawad will lead the growth strategy across the four sectors of natural resources, building on recent successes, by leading WTW’s regional teams and placement hubs, in order to acquire new clients and grow the company’s footprint across the CEEMEA region.
PREVISICO
Previsico, the live flood forecasting InsurTech, announces that Johnny Stubbs has been appointed Partnerships Manager. Johnny is a specialist in developing and managing successful partnerships with insurance companies and has extensive experience in the InsurTech space.
He will work closely with Previsico’s CEO and COO to drive business development across the UK and US insurance markets. Johnny will be responsible for building client-centric plans to help Previsico’s clients and partners achieve their strategic goals and he will work in parallel with the marketing team to develop co-marketing, sales, and client enablement programmes.
Prior to joining Previsico, Johnny was UK Head of Insurance and Business Development at Getsafe. Before this, he was Operations Manager at InsurTech Unicorn, Zego.
Jonathan Jackson, CEO of Previsico, said: “Johnny brings a wealth of experience from the insurance and technology sectors within the fast-paced start-up environment. He is extremely knowledgeable with the proven skills to develop successful partnerships. He comes at a time of growing demand for our services and will be a real asset to Previsico and our clients. We are delighted to have him on board.”
EDISON PARTNERS
Edison Partners, a leading growth equity firm, announced today the promotion of its general partner, Kelly Ford, to chief operating officer (COO). This newly created position is the first of its kind in the firm’s 36-year history. In Ford’s new role, she oversees the firm’s operations, including the Edison Edge value creation platform, investment development, finance, portfolio operations and marketing. Her role is critical to the continued, consistent growth of Edison’s assets under management (AUM), Edison Edge capabilities and the Edison team.
In her more than eight years at Edison, Ford has worked with more than 55 portfolio companies, been involved in 15 financings, served as director at 11 companies, and pioneered the Edison Edge operating platform. Promoting Ford, a technology industry veteran turned growth equity investor, aligns with Edison’s belief that investing and operating experience is critical to growth-stage investing.
Ford’s appointment fulfills the need to increase the breadth and depth of the Edison senior team’s capabilities as the firm’s AUM increases. It is also a continuation of Edison’s momentum in 2022, which includes the final close of the Edison X fund; continued investment in underserved geographies such as Texas, Alabama and North Carolina; and the addition of five operating partners to support portfolio company growth and execution.
SENSA
Sensa, the first proactive insurance, appointed Steven Brown – formerly of Allstate and AAA – as Chief Operating Officer. Austin based, Sensa’s unparalleled offering includes premium emergency services: automatic accident detection and real-time help with every policy. Sensa has been operating successfully in Illinois and Ohio since February.
Brown’s leadership appointment supports the insurtech’s growing activities. With over 35 years of experience in every aspect of P&C insurance, Brown is uniquely qualified to grow Sensa’s operations. His background includes leadership roles in distribution, claims, underwriting, product
management, service, processing, reinsurance and pricing. Brown has experience launching insurance operations from scratch and reestablishing profitability for a $2 billion-dollar insurer.
OCI
Industry expert Neil Edwards has joined supply chain specialist OCI.
OCI, which has seen its revenue increase one hundred-fold in half a decade, has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of Neil Edwards as Trade Director.
Mr Edwards is an experienced trade and supply chain finance professional and coverage banker, and brings with him 25+ years of knowledge and expertise. He has managed relationships and led origination efforts with multinationals across a variety of sectors at Citi, Commerzbank and RBS as well as in the non-bank sector.
OCI partners with large corporates and global governments, including some of the world’s largest commodity producers, to effectively streamline and support their supply chain.
Neil said: “Recent geopolitical events have, not before time, brought the analysis of their supply chains to the forefront of our clients’ thinking. OCI’s innovative, end-to-end solutions – from global sourcing, optimised logistics to flexible financing – are unique in the market. They maximise working capital efficiencies for businesses and ensure rapid growth. I am excited to be able to bring OCI’s holistic, consultative and long-term approach to our fast-growing number of corporate partners.”
SIGMA 7
Risk information and services company Sigma7 has named Jodi Cheek Vice President of Human Resources, a new executive leadership position for the rapidly scaling organization. Ms. Cheek joined Sigma7 from Descours & Cabaud, a France-based global distributor of construction materials, where she was North America HR Director. In her new position, Ms. Cheek will design and implement a world-class people operation, including establishing HR and professional development processes and building a highly desired employment brand. Ms. Cheek will help ensure a collaborative culture, bringing together the best practices of the companies that are part of Sigma7’s managed risk model, Paragon Risk Engineering, RWH Myers, Strategia Worldwide, Risk & Strategic Management, Corp. and Intelligence Fusion.
GALLAGHER
Gallagher has appointed Tim Wright as a consultant in its global aerospace practice. In his new role Tim is responsible for supporting international space clients with risk management and specialist insurance advice, as well as supporting business development in the sector.
Tim is a highly experienced practitioner having worked in space insurance for over 30 years representing clients whilst a broker and underwriting space risks of all the major operators, satellite manufacturers and launch vehicle providers.
Most recently, Tim was chief underwriting officer for space with Nexus Underwriting which acquired Altitude Risk Partners in 2018, a business which was co-founded by Tim in 2014. He started his career as a broker with Willis in the late 1980s before joining Johnson and Higgins, prior to the firm being purchased by Marsh in 1997. After a period with Aon, Tim became a space underwriter in 2001 at Global Aerospace Underwriting Managers, a position he held until co-founding Altitude Risk Partners.
ABI
Jason Richards, Swiss Re CEO UK&I, has joined the ABI Board. The appointment is effective immediately.
The ABI Board is formed of senior leaders from across the insurance and long-term savings industry including the ABI’s President, Barry O’Dwyer, Royal London Group CEO, and Deputy President, Cristina Nestares, Admiral UK CEO. As announced last year, it is chaired by Baroness Nicky Morgan as Independent Chair and joined by Independent Non-Executive Director, Baroness Dianne Hayter, to provide diversity of experience and reinforce strong governance.
Barry O’Dwyer, ABI President and Royal London Group CEO, says: “We warmly welcome Jason to the ABI Board. His wealth of experience will be a great asset and we look forward to working with him as we take forward our strategic vision for the ABI at such a signficant time for our nation and industry.”
Jason Richards, Swiss Re CEO UK&I, says: “The ABI plays a vital role in championing our industry and driving change for the good of the sector, the economy and for customers. It’s an honour to be joining the ABI Board and to work with Barry O’Dwyer, Baroness Morgan and all the Board members.”
Baroness Nicky Morgan, ABI Chair, says: “I’m delighted Jason is joining the ABI Board. Having a broad range of experience and perspectives is crucial in helping to navigate the many important issues facing the industry, and Jason will greatly complement our Board members with his breadth of skills.”
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