Howden announces new UK&I chief executive as Shuker steps down

Howden has appointed Robert Kennedy as chief executive for the UK and Ireland (UK&I), with Carl Shuker moving to a new role.

Kennedy, who is currently chief executive at Howden Ireland, will take up his new role on 1 October 2025 and report into group chief executive David Howden.

He takes over from Carl Shuker, who will transition into the role of deputy chairman for the UK&I.

Howden said: “Kennedy has built a leading, full-spectrum broker in the Irish market over the last five years. With an incredibly exciting future ahead for our UK&I business, I couldn’t be more pleased that we have extraordinary talent like Kennedy, an entrepreneur of our own, to lead it through the next phase of integration, growth and acceleration.

“He will take over a standout broking business from Shuker, which is delivering solutions to millions of clients providing personal and commercial lines insurance, employee benefits and pensions advisory and mortgage and wealth advice, operating from the high street and from offices the length and breadth of the country.”

Kennedy experience

Kennedy has served as chief executive at Howden Ireland for the last five years. Before this, he spent six years at Aviva, where he was most recently head of sales and distribution for Ireland.

He also spent two years at RSA as head of strategic intermediary account management and four years at Aon.

Speaking about taking up his new role, Kennedy said: “I am deeply honoured to assume the role of chief executive at the leading insurance broker across the UK and Ireland.

“This region holds a critical position in delivering Howden’s global strategic objectives and I am excited to lead our exceptional teams through the next phase of growth.

“My immediate priorities will be to strengthen collaboration across all our teams to bring the best of Howden to every client and to enhance our infrastructure, ensuring we continue to deliver outstanding service to our clients with greater speed and efficiency.

Shuker role

Meanwhile, Shuker will remain closely involved with Howden UK&I in his new role and will continue to support Kennedy in the next stages of Howden’s growth journey.

“I would like to acknowledge Shuker’s outstanding leadership and am grateful to have the opportunity to benefit from his extensive experience during this transition,” Kennedy said.

Shuker added: “I am delighted to pass the reins to Kennedy to lead us into the next chapter.

“The people in this business make it the special place that it is and I am so incredibly proud of them. I’m looking forward to supporting Kennedy to deliver on our strengths as we do even more together.”

Shuker spent 13 years as chief executive at A-Plan and a subsequent four years as chief executive of Howden UK&I, following A-Plan’s acquisition by Howden in 2021.

Howden said: “When I first met Shuker, his deep commitment to empowering great people to delight their clients and be major contributors to their communities was clear from the outset.

“We were thrilled when he chose to make Howden A-Plan’s long-term home. It is a business which has always bucked the trends and delivered results like no other. Since he joined us he has brought the UK&I businesses together to build a UK&I powerhouse and his 45 years in the industry is one of the best examples of people-first, ambitious growth that you will find.

“The business will continue to benefit from his strategic counsel in his new role as deputy chairman.”