Market Moves - 23 October 2014

Insurers

Covéa
Former Groupama underwriting and claims director Phil Bird has joined Covéa Insurance, where he will lead the insurer’s personal lines underwriting department. Joining the firm with more than 30 years’ industry experience, Bird spent seven years at Groupama before moving on to roles at the Motor Insurance Bureau and the Insurance Fraud Bureau and, most recently, running his own broking business. He has also sat on a number of Association of British Insurers committees covering a range of insurance disciplines.

Ecclesiastical
Ecclesiastical has secured a new risk management director for its UK general insurance business, appointing Mark Matthews from Zurich. Matthews served as head of risk engineering at Zurich, and now reports to deputy group chief executive and UK managing director Jacinta White. He started his career at Commercial Union Assurance, but joins after 25 years at the Swiss insurer, including 10 in his most recent role. Matthews can be contacted on mark.matthews@ecclesiastical.com. The firm has also appointed Jonathan Phillips to the role of group programme director. Phillips will lead the delivery of the company’s group-wide change programme, which includes donating £50m to charity over three years. He has previously held programme delivery, change management and marketing and communications roles at companies including Aviva, Catlin, Hiscox, Norwich Union, Bupa and Aon. Phillips can be contacted on jonathan.phillips@ecclesiastical.com

Ergo Versicherung
Munich Re-backed Ergo Versicherung has appointed Dan Salmon as a property underwriter. Salmon will underwrite UK and global property, working to develop the property account with existing and new broker contacts. He joins after six years at as a property underwriter at Tokio Marine and will report to head of property Paul Johnson. Salmon can be contacted on 0203 5444 992 .

Generali
Generali Global Corporate and Commercial UK has appointed Travelers’ business development manager James Cole as client and broker relationship manager. His responsibilities will include the execution of the company’s broker strategy and managing key broker relationships.

RSA
RSA has promoted Bruce Hanwell to liability portfolio lead (south). Hanwell has been at RSA for 27 years in a number of roles including Midlands & West packages lead underwriter and senior trading underwriter in Wales & West. His new role is based in Bristol and he will be responsible for the liability portfolio performance, technical proposition development and local technical training and capability.

Brokers

Aon
Aon’s head of cyber and commercial errors and omissions for EMEA Sarah Stephens will take on the role of head of cyber, technology and media E&O at JLT Specialty’s financial lines group in January 2015. Stephens will be responsible for growing the practice and developing industry specific propositions. Prior to her final role at Aon, Stephens spent seven years with the broker’s US cyber and E&O practice group and has extensive experience working with clients to identify, analyse and drive awareness of cyber and technology risks and exposures.

Service providers

American Appraisal
Valuations expert American Appraisal has named Rebecca Fuller as head of business development and marketing. Fuller joins from chartered surveyor Rushton International. Based in London, she will be responsible for assisting in the development of the practice in the UK and Europe and the MENA region.

Cunningham Lindsey
Cunningham Lindsey has appointed Matthew Griffin as head of forensic advisory services within its major and complex loss team. Griffin, who was originally on secondment from Cunningham Lindsey Australia, accepted a permanent role in the UK. He can be contacted on Matthew.Griffin@fas-uk.com or 07880 101 905 .

This article was published in the 23 October edition of Post magazine.