News in brief

Invicta gets acquisitive

Invicta Insurance Services, a new personal lines broker created by Woodstock Insurance Brokers operations manager Steve Gamage, and backed by former Highway director Paul Cosh, is on the acquisition trail. Invicta has already bought Ashford-based broker Williams Insurance Services and has a further four deals lined up in the South East. It plans to buy other small brokers or portfolios of personal lines policies.

Travelers heads north

Travelers has opened an office in Scotland headed by regional manager Andrew Fleming. The Glasgow-based team also includes Mark Cole as regional underwriting manager, Paul Docherty and Steven Robertson as senior underwriters, and risk manager Ross Bradley. Fleming said the new office will help “build stronger relationships with Scottish brokers and policyholders”.

Walker is new retail MD

Towergate has shuffled its management by appointing Jonathan Walker as managing director of its retail division and Mike Newman as its new chief information officer. Walker was previously divisional chief operating officer for Towergate Retail and Newman has been promoted from IT director. Chief executive Andy Homer said the promotions recognise the pair’s “significant leadership responsibilities”.

Martin Bride of Beazley

Correction: Following our article ‘What’s the alternative? Insurers diversify their investments’, published in the 18 March issue, we would like to point out that Martin Bride is the finance director of Beazley, not the finance director of Falcon Money Management. We would also like to clarify that, contrary to what was stated, Beazley is not taking a “more aggressive approach” to investment management.