Broker support network UKGI is aiming to double its membership to 500 within the next 12 months.

The move comes amid heightened interest in network membership from brokers.

Mike Williams, UKGI's former operations director, will replace Shaun Godfrey as managing director of UKGI.

Williams told Insurance Times that UKGI aimed to capture £2bn gross written premium of the broker market in the next 12 months.

He said: "We are continuing to recruit new members at a rate of four a week. We aim to double in size over the next 12 months to 500 members.

"The GWP size of brokers that are joining has grown somewhat in the past 12 months and we expect that trend to continue upward."

In 2006 Williams said members boasted an average GWP of £2.5m. He predicted that this would increase to an average £4m GWP by 2008.

The company has signed binding agreements with insurers Brit and AIG.

Williams said: "Our proposition is becoming more powerful, and we are seeing more interest from insurance companies."

Last month Insurance Times revealed that the Broker Network was experiencing a growth boom following a period of consolidation in the market.

Chief executive Grant Ellis said: "People are worried about the gap between the commissions being negotiated by the consolidators and what they can earn on their own," he said.

"This is having a knock-on effect on the number of firms wanting to join a network."