Arista appoints underwriting head

Commercial lines underwriter Arista Insurance has appointed Paul Avery to its Southampton office.

Reporting to regional manager Andy Wright, Avery will lead and manage the underwriting team.

Drawing on his expertise in property, liability and motor trade, Avery will also be responsible for growing Arista’s presence and service proposition for brokers in the Hampshire and Dorset region.

Avery brings 18 years’ experience to the role having previously worked for Allianz in Southampton, with regional responsibility for motor trade. His appointment follows that of Caroline Hargreaves who joined Arista’s Southampton office in August as development underwriter.

Wright said: “Paul is a well respected trading underwriter in Hampshire and Dorset and will be a great asset for our own operations there and our brokers in the area. We are building and investing in Southampton and this is also strategically opportunistic at a time when some of our competitors are retrenching in the area.”