Two distribution managers jump ship at NIG

NIG's management team has been dealt a blow following the departure of key staff to the new venture of former managing director of NIG commercial, Charles Earle.

Insurance Times understands that NIG's head of broker distribution, Kevin Buckland, and its head of key account distribution, Julian Holloway, are set to join Earle's company.

Buckland and Holloway were appointed to NIG's distribution management team, headed by David Parker, in June.

They will be joined by Euros Jones and David Aslin, who are also from NIG. An additional five NIG staff members are also expected to join Earle's team.

A total of 80 staff are due to be recruited to the yet unnamed company within the next year.

Charles Earle, chief executive of the new company, declined to comment on the moves, saying: "I am aware of the marketplace chatter of people leaving NIG. It's no secret we are recruiting people and have been doing so. However, those we have spoken to remain under contract with their existing employers, so any further comment would be inappropriate."

Earle, along with four colleagues including former NIG director of commercial lines, Lyn Carslake, announced the launch of the commercial lines underwriting operation two weeks ago (News, 17 August).

It expects to start writing business at the end of November and are thought to have the capacity to write more than £250m of business.

A spokeswoman for NIG said the company did not comment on its employees. She added: "People come and go in any company, it's a way of commercial life."