Brightside's new management makes additions to senior team from Gallagher and ACE

Brightside has made two senior appointments to its distribution and pricing and product divisions.

Colin Wallace has joined Brightside as distribution director from ACE European Group where he headed the UK and Ireland consumer lines business.

Prior to Ace he spent eight years at Hiscox in various management roles, the last four of which he headed the UK partnerships business.

In his new role, Wallace will lead the trading units at Brightside, including the affinity business.

Neil Laird has joined Brightside as head of product. He joins the broker from Arthur J Gallagher where he was previously the product lead for the General Insurance Solutions division.

Prior to that, Laird was head of product, for Tesco Insurance.

Laird and Wallace’s roles have both been newly created.

Brightside chief executive Andy Wallin said: “I am very pleased to welcome Colin and Neil, they are an important addition to the growing team.

“Brightside is undergoing a period of exciting change; to be able to attract people of Colin and Neil’s calibre underlines our commitment to invest in the core capabilities of the business for the benefit of our staff, insurers and our customers.”

These changes follow the appointment of former Gallagher Direct managing director Wallin (pictured) as Brightside’s new chief executive, former Gallagher Insurance Solutions managing director Des O’Connor as group commercial director and James Fairhurst as chief information officer.

The broker has also hired former RSA executive Tony Coram as its new chief operating officer, while Mark Cliff is set to join as chairman from next month.

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