Broker Expo Agenda 2020

Richard is the Director of Commercial and Rural business at A-Plan Insurance, and has been at A Plan for 13 years (this time) having started his insurance career at A Plan in 1990. He has also held sales and distribution roles at Independent, Axa and Fusion.

Over the last 13 years Richard has overseen the development of the A-Plan commercial business from a virtual standing start to an overall book now of circa £250m GWP, mainly through organic growth, supported by acquisition.

Siân has been writing about the insurance sector since 2014 and is currently editor of Insurance Age.

@InsuranceSian

Steve Molloy is Director of Commercial Sales at AX.

Steve specialises in providing claims management solutions for the motor insurance and broker sectors.

Having worked for AX for 5 years, Steve has spent most of his career in and around the Insurance industry and its’ supply chain. Steve’s experience allows him to understand the operational and commercial challenges faced by AX’s partners and come up with solutions.

Steve is particularly interested in identifying how technology and data can help shape the future claims landscape having been heavily involved in developing AX’s Electric Vehicle strategy and positioning.

Steve Beard is the Private Car & Telematics Divisional Head at Markerstudy Group. He has been working in the insurance industry since 1995, joining Markerstudy in 2008. He particularly enjoys working with brokers on new technological innovations and data driven propositions.

Steve’s personal passion is travel. His greatest adventure took him backpacking through Asia and around Australia and New Zealand. Other experiences include volunteering in Zimbabwe on a wildlife sanctuary and camping in the Peruvian rain forest.

Leon is an experienced insurance professional with a keen passion for all spheres of the Automotive Sector – admiring the classics and enthused about how technology is shaping the future (both on track and off).

With nearly two decades of sector-specific experience and technical expertise, Leon leads and manages Partners&’s multi-disciplinary Automotive practice, across its nationwide network of offices and Client Partners.

Having started his career in South Africa, supporting the automotive sector with all its insurance and risk management requirements, Leon relocated to the UK over 14 years ago where he has worked for large national and global brokers providing tailored risk solutions for all spheres of the motor trade community from large multi-franchised multinational dealerships, non-franchised independent dealerships and accident/body repairers to MOT stations, mechanical repair and service centres, SMART repairers, tyre and exhaust fitment centres.

Leon is a member of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), an avid motorsport enthusiast and an active supporter of the automotive charity Ben – the Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.

Howard Pearson FCII, is a veteran of the retail broking industry, taking in 2015, the unusual step of leaving behind his senior management roles and co-founding a new brokerage, Innovation Broking, which has grown to c.£20 million GWP, without any acquisitions. 

Howard's previous career includes being MD of Miller Insurance Services (UK) Ltd, MD of Giles, CEO of top 50 Lloyd's broker and MGA OAMPS, and is a past main board Director of BIBA. 

Today Howard's works on the front line, dealing with the provision of an outstanding service to upper end commercial and not for profit organisations. 

Howard brings a unique perspective on our industry today.

Charles has some 40 years’ experience in insurance, having worked for MGAs, brokers and insurers, from junior to CEO level, and as an entrepreneur.

Charles is currently:

· Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Manchester Underwriting Management Ltd (a UK MGA, now part of the Gallagher group)

· A member of the supervisory board and a shareholder of a Polish MGA

· Chairman of the Managing General Agents Association, the MGAA

Previously, Charles has been Chief Executive Officer of a UK insurer, active underwriter of a Lloyd's syndicate, non-executive director of a UK insurer and founder and Managing Director of Dickson Manchester & Co Ltd, a wholesale Lloyd’s broker.

Tom is the former owner and CEO of Erskine Murray Insurance Brokers.  Erskine Murray’s foundations were laid around 40 years ago and now has 3 offices and coverage across England specialising in Business insurance, High Net Worth, and Employee Benefits.  Erskine Murray control around £30m of premium and have more than 70 staff. 

Prior to acquiring his own broker, Tom spent 20 years at Willis.  His roles included broking large international property clients in the London market and leading Willis’ global terrorism business.  He was the CEO of their US wholesale division in London and Bermuda, leading placement in the USA with a 2 year secondment to NY, returning to lead the SME segment globally.  His final role was to lead placement for the International division controlling £7.5bn of premium.

Tom was educated at Haileybury College and the University of Manchester where he graduated with a 2.1 in Economics.  Married with 3 teenage boys he is a keen skier and dog walker and sports enthusiast with his children.  Unusually he enjoys insurance and is a big fan of technology at home and in the office.

Ashwin has over 40 years’ experience in general insurance and broking, starting off his career at Guardian Royal Exchange at age 17 and first became a Director at Brett and Randall in 1983.

Following B&R’s organic success, Ashwin was instrumental in establishing the highly respected Brokerbility network, an alliance of staunch Independent Brokers.

After leading a Management Buy Out in 2009, the BHL group grew substantially and earlier this year, joined forces with the Clear Insurance Group.

Ashwin is a prominent member of the local community whilst still actively managing a client book. He was a member of the National Skills Task Force, under the then Secretary of State, Rt Hon David Blunkett, looking at the issue of skill shortages for UK Plc. In 2000, he was awarded an OBE for his contribution to Careers Education.

In 2014-15, Ashwin became the National President of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Ashwin’s passion is to speak out on issues impacting all aspects of the ever-changing Insurance landscape and championing client Issues.

Enquiries

Zoe Edwards, Operations Assistant

Email: zedwards@brokerbility.co.uk

Tel: 0116 281 9215

John Stagg is the Director of the wholesale department at Brunel Professions. With over 20 years’ experience working in the Professional indemnity insurance market, John brings specialism in a wide range of professions throughout the UK including, but not limited to, insurance brokers, solicitors, accountants, surveyors, and architects.  

Brunel wholesale is a part of Brunel Professions; one of the UK’s leading specialist PII brokers, with over 7,000 clients and GWP in PII of over £60 million. 

John previously worked as a Lloyd’s broker and global MGA, with a strong track record of delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions for both brokers and PII clients. 

Since joining Brunel in 2010, he was responsible for creating Brunel’s wholesale team. Since its inception the wholesale team has grown significantly and Brunel are now one of the largest wholesale professional indemnity brokers in the UK, placing policies for over 300 insurance brokers.  

John and the Brunel wholesale team place cover for all types of professional firms: including larger and more complex placements, with previous claims and high limits of indemnity.  

Karen has worked in the Insurance Industry since 1989 with a background predominantly in underwriting. Karen Joined AXA Insurance 6 years ago as Underwriting Manager for Scotland branch and subsequently Regional Underwriting Manager for the UK North Region. Her current role involves continuous assessment of AXA commercials Mid market customers to ensure that proposition delivery is relevant and truly adds value.  This involves insight into industry challenges and creating solutions or assistance for these issues. Looking at areas that compliment AXA policy products to offer solutions that may actually be an alternative to risk transfer.  

Clive has responsibility for GRP's Underwriting division. He joined GRP in April 2018 from Primary Group, where he fulfilled a variety of senior roles including non-executive chairman of Rural Insurance and executive chairman of One Commercial.

Between 2006-2016 he was CEO of Towergate Underwriting, having joined the business in 2003 as a regional managing director.

Clive began his career in 1987 as a graduate entrant with Commercial Union, where he had a number of different roles. He joined AXA UK in 1999 as national broker director and was involved in the acquisition of GRE that resulted in him becoming regional director.

Clive is a past member of the CII Underwriting Faculty and is a past winner of the Insurance Times Industry Achiever of The Year.

Kathryn Moon is a Sales Director for Gallagher’s Retail Division, which looks after the risk management and insurance solutions for over one million businesses across the UK.

Kathryn joined Gallagher in 2014 to head up the firm’s Coventry office, and in 2020 moved into her current role where she is responsible for business development and growth across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Under her leadership the region has gone from strength to strength reporting a 35% year on year increase in new business growth.

Kathryn has extensive insurance industry experience having previously worked at The Oval Group for 15 years, which Gallagher acquired in 2014. She held a number of roles, latterly heading up business development in a high growth territory. Kathryn’s experience spans client service, project management, sales and office leadership, development of a growth culture and the implementation of effective sales infrastructures to enable growth.

Howard has been running financial services businesses since the 1980s and was one of the founders of Clear Insurance Management Ltd in 2001. After many years as CEO he is now the Group Chair with responsibility for Clear’s M&A programme and the relationships with carriers

Alasdair joined AXA in 2011 where he is a member of the Commercial Intermediary leadership team and the Global Distribution Board. He has worked previously at Arla Foods, Independent Insurance and the CII.

Lisa has a Psychology background and set up Illuminate VR as she recognised, through her experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant and Trainer, the stigma surrounding mental health in the workplace and was keen to influence this positively.

We work with SMEs in the Midlands region who value their staff and recognise that happy employees are more productive and engaged. We can help you to create a positive culture surrounding mental health, and build a resilient workforce through a range of training and consultancy support, suited to your needs.

We are passionate about supporting your teams to be proactive so that you can prevent issues from arising and keep your staff thriving and reaching their potential.

We can ensure you meet government guidelines to be transparent about the support you provide in the area of mental health, being both morally and legally compliant.

- Are your employees at a high risk of stress?
- Are staff members sometimes there in body but not in mind?
- Do you have managers who lack confidence talking about sensitive issues?
- Do you have high absence rates / turnover?


Would your company benefit from:
- Building resilience?
- A clearer wellbeing strategy
- Staff support to stay or return to work?
- Manager upskilling on the topic of mental health
- Mental Health First Aid training

Illuminate was set up in 2013 in order to reach and support SMEs in the West Midlands, and we now deliver a range of face to face and online services across the UK. The training has both a practical and theoretical basis as we believe that people will gain the most from training which they can practically apply to the workplace rather than coming from a purely clinical perspective.

We have worked with a range of public and private sector organisations, as well as supporting companies in the not-for-profit sector including Orbit Group, Amnesty International and Raspberry Pi Foundation. We are currently increasing our number of clients in the creative and tech industries who we have seen often work in highly pressured environments.

A bit about me...
I've always been interested in what makes people tick, and social/positive psychology, largely shaped by experiences growing up with close family members struggling with their mental health. Mental health is a subject I am so passionate about, and I feel grateful to be working in a field that makes a positive difference to businesses and individuals every day. I am always looking out for new associates to join the growing team so get in touch if you would like to get involved.

Alasdair joined AXA in 2011 where he is a member of the Commercial Intermediary leadership team and the Global Distribution Board. He has worked previously at Arla Foods, Independent Insurance and the CII.

Colin has been working in the UK insurance market since the mid 90’s, with experience covering Commercial, Personal and Niche lines for the insurer and broker markets.

At IDEX he works with clients across the UK helping them grow their businesses.   His expertise and experience in understanding placement strategy, risk appetite, business development plans & income optimisation help IDEX to address the challenges that brokers face in the current market.

Graeme was appointed CEO in July 2023. Prior to this he was BIBA’s Executive Director for ten years when he joined the main board of BIBA and led the BIBA policy team that incorporates corporate affairs, technical services and communications.  He is personally responsible for BIBA’s public affairs lobby with government, has provided written and oral evidence to the House of Commons and the House of Lords and is the author of the annual BIBA manifesto.  Prior to joining BIBA Graeme was a general insurance broker between 1989 and 2001.

Graeme’s knowledge of insurance and the sector is wide-ranging, and he appears regularly as a source of expertise in the media where he promotes the benefits of using a broker.  He sits on the main board of the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office, the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities: Building Safety Programme Market Assurance Group, the MOD Financial Services Steering Group and the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Society of Insurance Broking, as well as BIBA’s Insurance Brokers’ Standards Committee. He has also participated on the CBI Trade Association Council and Insurance Fraud Taskforce. As a strong advocate of expanding access to insurance, Graeme sits on the Insurance Disability Champion’s Access to Insurance Steering Group and the BIBA Access to Insurance cross-sector committee.  Graeme is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and a Chartered Insurance Practitioner.  

Tina Winterburn is a Claims Director in Gallagher’s Retail Division and oversees all claims operations in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. She joined Gallagher in 2014 when The Oval Group was acquired.  In her role she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the current claims service as well as developing and implementing new innovations to improve the service and support given to clients.

Tina started her career as an underwriter at RSA, before moving into loss adjusting working for Robins, and becoming a broker at Hart Owens in the mid-90s.  Always happiest helping clients through their crises, Tina is a firm believer in prevention where possible, so also has a keen interest in risk management and business continuity. 

Rob has been within the insurance industry for 30 years and 20 years with AXA. Part of Rob’s role is managing the flood assessment tools within AXA and with a background in risk management Rob understand how mitigation of flood risk can be possible.

Rob represents AXA at the DEFRA Flood Resilience Roundtable and the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum (WSBF).