Insurer builds regional commercial teams

LV= has hired branch managers from Towergate and AXA as it looks to build its commercial lines business.

Paul Bennett has been appointed Leeds branch manager where he will look after LV= Broker’s most important accounts as well as overseeing the branch. He was previously managing director of TowergateUnderwriting liability and construction and Broker Network Underwriting.

Ian Grundy has been appointed Birmingham branch manager and has joined from AXA commercial lines and personal intermediary, where he was a sales manager.

Grundy and Bennett will report to Mark Hands, who has been promoted to head of trading for the North of England and Scotland.

LV= has also appointed Jon Mainwaring as regional sales executive. Mainwaring will be based in the insurer’s Bournemouth branch and be responsible for a number of commercial broker relationships in Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex. He previously worked with brokers in the southern region for Midas underwriting.

LV= Broker commercial lines director Mike Crane said: “We have ambitious plans and have strengthened our commercial team to support these. Both Ian and Paul have valuable experience that will help us grow our commercial lines within the North, while Jon’s existing relationships with brokers will help us expand in the South.”

Last year LV=’s commercial gross written premium grew 16% to £160m.