Two new hires replace team poached by AXA

Allianz has finished replacing its Newcastle branch line up six months after its entire sales team was poached by AXA.

It has today announced the appointment of Mike Gibbs as business developer and Stephen Black as property/casualty underwriter.

Gibbs has joined from Allianz’s Leeds branch, where he was responsible for new business development.

Black has joined from AXA’s Glasgow branch and has more than 10 years of property/casualty underwriting, primarily from new business.

Allianz Commercial director of broker markets Andrew Broughton said: “I am confident that the team is stronger than ever and look forward to the wealth of experience and knowledge that both Mike and Steven will bring to the branch.

“Newcastle continues to be a very important region to us and I believe that we are in an excellent position to realise the full potential the North East presents.”

Allianz’s former Newcastle team, headed by Les Archibold, left on 1 April and joined AXA on 1 May.

Allianz’s Newcastle branch is now headed by Mike Gill. Broughton told Insurance Times in July that the new team had written more new business in six weeks than the old team had all year.