Regional shake-up to improve economies of scale, bosses say; handful of redundancies following Brit deal

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QBE will move its enlarged UK staff into four new regional office premises.

QBE acquired the renewal rights to Brit’s UK arm in April.

The two insurers had six regional offices - Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London - where there was duplication.

Brit had offices Belfast and Reading, two areas where QBE did not have an office presence.

Elliot Miller, general manger of UK and Ireland, said the combined staff would be moving into new office space in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham. Staff have already moved into the new Leeds office.

Miller said the move will be finished by the end of July. Asked about redundancies, he said there would be a “handful” owing to relationship changes following the merger of the two businesses.

Miller said: “By creating larger regions we will be able to create economies of scale within our operation.

“We reckon we will be able to deliver brand new solutions to the brokers because we will be able to transfer skills between offices and areas.”

QBE has decided to split its operations into five regions: Scotland and Northern Ireland, North (Leeds and Manchester), Midlands and West (Birmingham and Bristol), London and South (London and Reading), Ireland.

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