A guide to this week's movements in the insurance industry

Broker

Protectagroup
Welsh broker Protectagroup has appointed Gary Ridewood as its new finance director.

Previously finance director at Kleeneze Europe, Ridewood will aim to ensure strong growth in order to make Protectagroup an attractive future flotation proposition.

Heath Lambert National
Heath Lambert National has expanded its public sector unit (PSU) with the following senior appointments:

  • Lee Wilmot has joined the Swindon-based Southern PSU from Marsh.
  • Victoria Bassett and Sharon Bennett-Thomas have also joined the Southern region from Zurich and Wycombe District Council respectively.
  • Heath Lambert National has also opened a Northern region PSU in Manchester, headed by David Rudman and Peter Mitchell, with servicing undertaken by Mark Sangster and Martin Jones.
  • Ann Wilson has also been appointed to this unit from Marsh to focus on growing the Northern account.
  • Insurer

    Ace
    Ace European group has appointed Louise Joyce from AXA in Glasgow as property and casualty underwriter in its Newcastle office.

    Brit
    Kathy Lisson will join Brit as chief operating officer on 26 September.

    Lisson, who will also become a member of Brit's executive management committee, joins from Barclays where she was operational transformation director.

    Royal & SunAlliance
    Colin Hamling has joined Royal & SunAlliance as construction portfolio manager.

    Hamling has spent the last 13 years with St Paul International as strategic development manager and then UK casualty manager.

    Glacier Re
    Glacier Reinsurance AG has appointed Franco Masciovecchio as senior underwriter, helping to develop the company's property and energy portfolio.

    Masciovecchio joins from Swiss Re in Zurich, where he was vice president within its financial services business group and senior underwriter and account manager - industrial and energy.

    Other

    Cunningham Lindsey
    Cunningham Lindsey UK has appointed Mike Faulkner as liability services projects manager for its liability services division, based at the firm's Birmingham office.

    Faulkner joins from Aon, where he was responsible for the National Claims Inspector Force.

    High Finance
    Recruitment consultancy High Finance has appointed Jason Willis to set up a new division focusing on underwriting, broking and claims recruitment within the general insurance market.

    Willis was previously manager of Reed Insurance's general insurance team in London.

    Argent
    Argent Liability Adjusters has appointed Tony Wadey as a director based in London.

    Wadey, who was previously liability director at GAB Robins, will be responsible for further developing Argent's business in the products liability and property damage liability sectors.

    Concordia
    Stephen Ferguson has joined insurance consultancy Concordia as company accountant.

    Ferguson has previously worked at Lloyd's and Ace.

    Profile- Steve Wood
    Ecclesiastical has appointed Steve Wood as general manager of its UK general insurance division, subject to regulatory approval.

    Wood succeeds Ken Burdett in the role, who will retire at the end of 2005.

    Previously managing director at FirstAssist, Wood has over 20 years' general insurance experience, including a substantial part of his earlier career working at Royal & SunAlliance.

    Wood's aims include ensuring that Ecclesiastical becomes the best specialist in each of its chosen markets, while continuing to build on the company's strong profit growth over the past five years.

    Wood said: "I am very pleased to be joining Ecclesiastical and look forward to working to build on its existing strengths".

    In his spare time Wood enjoys coaching his son's under-11s rugby team. Other interests include keep fit, squash and swimming.

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