Market Moves: Firms hopeful new hires will be Christmas crackers as recruitment enters festive frenzy

• In a big week of insurer appointments, Aviva has promoted Fraser Edmond to replace Sam Hudson as broker performance director. Edmond has been with the insurer since 2005, most recently as head of broker performance management. Prior to that he was head of key partners and business development. Hudson left Aviva last month and will join Equity Red Star as commercial director in January.

Zurich has appointed its UK general insurance chief underwriting officer Tim Holliday to take over as managing director of its UK personal lines business. Holliday will replace John Dyke, who is taking up the role of credit risk head with Zurich North America, from January 2014. In addition, Fran Henderson, MD of Zurich’s specialist boat business Navigators and General, has retired from her post and will be replaced by Zurich Municipal’s head of charities and voluntary sector Paul Emery in April 2014.

Meanwhile, Legal & General’s general insurance MD Diane Buckley is to leave the business amid a company restructure. Duncan Finch will lead the company’s new insurance business, which falls within the newly established L&G Assurance Society. It will include the life, pensions, savings and GI businesses. As well as LGAS Insurance, the division has been split into two further areas – LGAS Corporate, led by executive MD Jim Islam, and LGAS Retail Savings, headed by executive MD Mike Bury. Finch will work with the MDs of the current business areas (Buckley and Duncan Crocker) to ensure a smooth transition to the new business model.

XL Group has appointed Lewis Goodearl as CUO for UK property and casualty in its London business. Goodearl joins XL from Liberty Mutual, where he held the title of vice‑president and wholesale manager. Prior to his stint at Liberty, Goodearl began his insurance career in 1991 at Ace Europe. XL is also strengthening its Lloyd’s London-based P&C team with the transfer of Ben Patrick, currently underwriting manager for casualty middle market for Australia’s South West region. Patrick has been with XL since 2011 and will be based in London from January 2014.

Meanwhile, Canopius has named Andrew Pooley as head of its international liability insurance line. Pooley began his career in 1985 as a management and underwriting trainee with Prudential, where he progressed to deputy liability underwriter, before joining Aegon Insurance in 1991 as underwriting manager for its worldwide liability department. He then held senior underwriting positions with the Independent Insurance Company and The Underwriter Insurance before being appointed class underwriter for Brit Insurance’s international liability division. He left Brit in February 2013 for Dual Corporate Risks, and assumes his new role at Canopius with immediate effect.

• Among brokers, Willis has appointed Simon Ashby as chief executive of Global Solutions International, the company’s multinational arm. Ashby joins Willis from Bowring Marsh Bermuda, where he has worked since 2003 as MD of the financial and professional liability division. Prior to that, he was MD and CUO of Gulf Insurance Company UK. Reporting to Dominic Samengo‑Turner, global head of broking and products, and Steve Hearn, deputy CEO of Willis Group, Ashby will drive efforts to build Willis’s multinational client portfolio.

Meanwhile, Barbon finance director Kevin Withington will leave the broker early next year after turning down the opportunity to relocate to Lincoln. Withington will depart the business after completing a handover period. The broker announced in October it would close its Croydon headquarters, with staff moving to new premises in Lincoln. At the time, Barbon said all roles would be transplanted to Lincoln, with staff offered the opportunity to keep their existing positions at the new site, roughly 130 miles north of the current location. Barbon sold its property and commercial division to Gallagher earlier this year, leaving it with three lettings brands.

• In the boardroom, Esure has appointed Maria Dolores Dancausa as an independent non-executive director. Dancausa, CEO of Spanish bank Bankinter, was previously CEO of Spanish motor insurer Linea Directa Aseguradora. Esure chairman Peter Wood said Dancausa has “exceptional” experience in European insurance markets, adding that she will bring a broad perspective to Esure.

This article was published in the 19/26 edition of Post magazine