It is time for another round up of the latest senior appointments in the sector;
TESTUDO
Testudo is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Wedge FCII as General Counsel, effective 1 November 2025.
Wedge brings nearly four decades of experience in insurance and reinsurance. He was recently Director of Cyber Wordings at Gallagher Re, in addition to chairing the Cyber Insurance Association and the Reinsurance Wordings Expert Forum and holding committee positions across BIBA, the IUA, AIDA Europe, and the Insurance Institute of London.
His career includes twelve years at Swiss Re Zurich, including ten years as Reinsurance Contracts Counsel, alongside Global Head of Claims Solutions roles at SCOR/Converium in New York and Zurich.
CANOPIUS
Canopius Group, a leading global specialty and P&C (re)insurer, is pleased to announce two key appointments to its growing Asia Pacific team. These appointments reinforce its commitment to strengthening its operational and underwriting capabilities in the region.
Michelle Rudd (ABOVE) joins Canopius as Chief Operating Officer, APAC, while Vanessa Hall takes on the role of Casualty Underwriter. Both roles will be based in Sydney.
Michelle brings a wealth of experience in claims and operations to her new role. She will oversee operational strategy and performance across APAC, ensuring Canopius continues to deliver value to its clients and stakeholders.
Michelle joins Canopius from Arch Underwriting at Lloyd’s (Australia) where she was Director and Operations Manager. In this role, she established the company’s branch operations and successfully led the design and cost-effective development of the company’s service delivery, infrastructure, and business processes and systems.
Vanessa (ABOVE) joins the Canopius underwriting team bringing more than 20 years’ industry experience to the role, most recently serving as Underwriting and Product Manager at ARAG Services Australia. She will report to Brodie English, Head of Casualty Australia and New Zealand.
Brodie English commented: “We are delighted to welcome Vanessa to the Canopius APAC team. Her appointment reflects our continued investment in our people and our commitment to delivering outstanding service to brokers and clients across the region.”
BELFOR UK
Commercial property insurer FM has announced the appointment of Alison Erbig to executive vice president, chief financial officer (CFO), effective Nov. 1. As CFO, Erbig will oversee all aspects of finance for FM, including financial reporting, tax, financial planning and analysis, treasury operations, corporate real estate and rating agency oversight. She will also lead FM’s risk management and enterprise resilience functions.
Erbig joins FM from Liberty Mutual Insurance, where she most recently served as CFO for Global Risk Solutions. In this role she oversaw all aspects of financial support for the business, including analysis, planning and management reporting; developed and drove strategy; and led enterprise risk management. Additional roles at Liberty Mutual Insurance included comptroller and director of investor relations.
AUTOREK
AutoRek, a global provider of automated reconciliation and financial controls solutions, recently announced two strategic appointments to strengthen its insurance sector expansion.
The dual appointments signal AutoRek’s deepening commitment to the insurance sector, combining front-line sales expertise with technical solution design capabilities to address the industry’s digital transformation challenges.
Tony Shek brings over 10 years of insurance experience, specialising in business strategy and digital transformation across major players including Aviva, AIG, Generali, MetLife, and HSBC. He also brings over five years of experience in the technology and consulting sectors, most recently serving as Head of Insurance Solutions at CyberSmart, where he built the company’s go-to-market strategy for the insurance vertical from the ground up while focusing on AI-driven transformation.
Teaming up with Tony in support of the insurance sector and AutoRek clients, Meghana Nile, joins AutoRek’s presales team with over 15 years of insurance and financial services expertise. Most recently serving as a Business Architect at Allianz Insurance, Meghana brings deep sector knowledge and a proven track record of designing strategic technology-led solutions that will be instrumental in AutoRek’s insurance expansion.
AMIGA
Martin Mills, founder of travel insurance specialist Millstream, has joined to lead the Board of Amiga Specialty effective immediately.
Mills built Millstream into a leading travel and personal accident business from the ground up and joins Amiga to enhance the MGAs non-executive corporate governance.
Adam Kembrooke, Founder and Managing director of Amiga Specialty, said: “Bringing someone of Martin’s calibre to the Board is a hugely positive step for Amiga. His dedication, drive and experience will support us with our ambitious growth plans. Having such an inspiring figure on the team will be hugely beneficial and as a market leader in travel and PA, having Martin on board will undoubtedly open opportunities in that space too.”
CIRENCESTER FRIENDLY
After more than six and half years with income protection provider Cirencester Friendly, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Shirley Fell (ABOVE) has announced her retirement. She will be succeeded by Ben Howe, who is being promoted from his current role as Director of Strategy and Transformation and will take over the reins on 1st November 2025.
Ben Howe (ABOVE) joined Cirencester Friendly in March 2019, bringing with him extensive experience of delivering complex change projects and embedding sustainable operational practices. Since July 2022, he has headed up the Strategy and Transformation function, working across a range of projects to enhance the Society’s efficiency and resilience. In his role as Chair of Cirencester Friendly’s Consumer Duty Group, he has been focused on delivering improved outcomes for Members.
BARNETT WADDINGHAM
Leading professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham (BW) has appointed Andrew Simpson as a Partner in its Actuarial Consulting team, strengthening its presence in the Scottish and wider UK pensions market.
Andrew joins from Mercer where he headed up the firm’s Edinburgh office and led on actuarial consulting, defined contribution, investment and strategy. Prior to this, Andrew was deputy Leader of KPMG’s corporate consulting team in Scotland, where he played a key role in growing the pension team from inception.
EVERSHEDS
Eversheds Sutherland has reinforced its ongoing strategic growth ambitions, this time with the appointments of corporate partner Laura Marcelli and tax partner Matt Davies to its highly regarded transactional risk insurance (TRI) group.
Both lateral hires join the global law firm’s London office from DLA Piper.
Laura focuses exclusively on TRI. Her experience spans hundreds of transactions for over 20 insurer clients, as well as advising buyers and sellers on deal insurance to optimise transaction insurability. Prior to DLA Piper, Laura held roles at Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co, and Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
Matt brings extensive experience in international tax, M&A structuring, and reorganisations, along with a notable profile in the insurance sector. Matt has wide TRI experience, working on hundreds of W&I transactions but has also established a standalone and active tax liability insurance advisory practice, both of which are complemented by his general tax structuring and transactional tax practice, advising across general M&A transactions and real estate transactions.
FIDUCIA
Specialty insurance managing general agent (MGA) Fiducia has appointed a new development underwriter to support brokers across Scotland and the north east of England.
Graeme McFarlane joins the Leeds-based MGA from Santander where he worked for seven years as a financial crime investigator.
He brings more than 30 years’ experience within the marine insurance industry, having previously held both underwriting and broking positions.
In his new role, Graeme is tasked with developing Fiducia’s marine cargo and freight liability products across Scotland and the north east of England, as well as exploring cross selling opportunities of its other range of products.
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