ASA Insurance Services
ASA Insurance Services, a subsidiary of the Markerstudy Group, has appointed Alastair Christopherson as development director. His responsibility will be to assist chief executive, Simon Clayton, in strategically driving the business forward.
Christopherson was previously a director with Lloyd's broker Sterling Hamilton Wright and has worked in general insurance for over 17 years. During this time he specialised in placing and managing both personal and corporate insurance classes.
More recently he has managed and developed many Lloyd's insurer businesses through his contacts with a national network of brokers.
MMA Insurance
Intermediary-only insurer MMA Insurance has appointed Paul Cousans as a new business development executive for Yorkshire, Humberside, North Lincolnshire and North Nottingham-shire to join its business development team. Cousans has over 15 years' experience in a variety of roles.
Markel International
Gerry Albanese has become president and chief operating officer, and Richie Whitt executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Markel International, the London-based international arm of Markel Corporation.
The firm operates in the London Company Market through Markel International Insurance Company and at Lloyd's through Markel Syndicate 3000.
AXA Insurance
Following the resignations of Amanda Blanc and Clive Nathan, who are leaving the company to take up roles, with Groupama and Folgate, AXA Insurance has made two interim appointments.
Karen Osborne, currently area manager for Leeds and Sheffield, will act as regional director north and Martyn Grime, at present area manager for Ipswich will take over responsibility for the southern region.
Both have contributed towards growing the company's commercial business by supporting the distribution strategy while building strong operational teams at the same time.
Agency Underwriting
Brian Fullarton has joined Agency Underwriting Limited's (AUL) as regional development manager to promote the company's new venture in Scotland. He will be using his financial services background to build upon AUL's broker base in central Scotland. AUL has taken on 17 more staff in a recent recruitment campaign and now employs over 120 people.
Keelan Westall
Commercial property insurance specialist Keelan Westall has appointed Ashley Canning (pictured, left) as chief executive. Previously deputy chief executive, he takes over from Alan Westall, one of the founders of the Bordon-based company, who remains chairman.
Canning has held a number of senior positions since joining the company in 1990, from Legal & General where he worked as an underwriter.
Standing down as chief executive, Alan Westall completes 27 years of hands-on management.
Foster Leighton
Foster Leighton, the Exeter-based insurance broker and risk manager has appointed Kevin Hext to the board as sales director.
Hext joined Marsh in 1981, becoming new business account executive in the motor trade unit for the South West before joining Foster Leighton Insurance Brokers and Risk Managers in 1996 as an account executive.
Fineos
Fineos, the banking and insurance software company, has appointed Tom Wall as chief financial officer and company secretary.
Wall joins the Fineos board and executive management team and will be responsible for overseeing financial operations throughout the company.
Before joining Fineos, he worked with Oracle for over seven years, where he was chief financial officer for Oracle Ireland and finance director for Oracle EMEA. Prior to this, he spent six years with Unisys EMEA in the UK as its chief accountant.
This appointment follows the announcement that William Burgess has joined Fineos as chairman. He was managing director of IBM Ireland for 11 years and board director at Ulster Bank and IONA Technologies.
Clyde & Co
Insurance partner Hermes Marangos, formerly with Cozen O'Connor, has recently joined the international law firm Clyde & Co.
His appointment builds on the firm's recent senior litigation partner appointments.
They were: Paul Friedman, formerly with Baker McKenzie, and Peter Hirst, formerly with Beachcroft Wansbroughs. Commercial litigation forms 65% of Clyde & Co's annual turnover.
Marangos, who joins the firm's London office, represents major insurance and reinsurance clients in high profile international arbitration, mediation and litigation cases. His arrival will also boost the firm's Latin American team.
Plexus Law
Megan Galliet has moved from Rymills to its sister company Plexus Law, the specialist professional indemnity and large loss legal practice based in London.
Galliet is joining the catastrophic injuries team headed by Plexus partner Michael Renshaw, where she will concentrate on industrial diseases claims.
Galliet started her career in 1995 and was articled to a south London legal firm before moving to Rymills as a solicitor working on claimant cases, particularly those concerned with road traffic accidents.
Options Search & Selection
Options Search & Selection has appointed Alex White as divisional manager.
White, a former director of Insurance Personnel-Colchester, will launch the general insurance side to the business. With more than 14 years' insurance experience as an underwriter and broker, White understands the need for specialists in an ever-changing market.
Scot Healthcare
Scot Healthcare, an employee benefits health cash plan provider has made three appointments. Stephanie Lawrie, Lindsay O'Neil, and Deborah Barron, have all just joined the sales team. Lawrie previously worked for Prudential and Endsleigh Insurance, while O'Neil and Barron join as a sales executives.
Mazars
Mazars, international accountants and business advisers specialising in the insurance sector, has announced the appointment of a new partner and three new directors.
Ian Sparshott has been promoted to audit partner within the insurance division, John O'Neill has been appointed to the new position of director of actuarial services, Beth Rees as director of insurance, corporate recovery and insolvency services and Howard Jones as corporate tax adviser.
Rushton
Insurance valuation specialist Rushton has appointed Susan Davies, left, as business development manager.
The new role will see Davies assume responsibility for developing and maintaining relationships with insurance brokers in the south of England.
An associate of the Institute of Risk Management (IRM), Davies joins Rushton following the completion of the Aon travelling scholarship to Australia, awarded for achieving the highest marks in the IRM 2002 exam sittings. She previously spent four years working for Marsh UK, latterly as risk consultant in the risk strategies practice.
Argent
Erica Lindley has joined Argent liability adjusters, where she will manage its London office. She will have responsibility for developing and expanding the company's services in the professional indemnity and medical malpractice sectors. Lindley has 20 years' experience in the adjusting field and spent eight years at GAB Robins.
Company focus
New roles and promotions at The Beckett Group
Four members of the general insurance division at the The Beckett Group's Bury St Edmunds headquarters have taken on new roles. Alan Edwards has been promoted to commercial operations manager and Peter Hayes becomes corporate team leader.
Richard Culling takes the new role of client servicing manager, while Rob Hammond has been promoted to claims manager.
"These promotions recognise the significant contribution made by all four to the growth and development of our general insurance business," said managing director of Beckett Risk Management, Paul Whittaker.
"I am delighted to see talent and achievement rewarded in this way," he added.
