Pop Group Holdings (POP), a significant player in mergers and acquisitions and specialised, data, and technology-driven insurance ventures, has revealed the appointment of Nicole Coleby as the managing partner of operations.
In this newly established position, Coleby will take charge of operations across POP's pivotal operating entities, including Fusion Specialty M&A and Financial Lines MGAs, alongside io.insure, its dedicated small to mid-market insurtech and M&A Tech platform. She will manage teams both locally and globally, playing a crucial role in directing the strategic initiatives of the delegated underwriting authority, operations, finance, people, legal, and compliance teams.
“Insurance has always been a passion of mine, and I am excited to join my fellow peers along POP's journey as we further the group's efforts in data and technology-enabled innovations that are revolutionising the M&A and specialty insurance ecosystems,” Coleby said.
Based in Melbourne, Coleby brings nearly two decades of industry experience to her role as an insurance veteran. Her most recent position was chief operating officer at Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company of Australia (Adica), where she managed operations and cultivated relationships with key stakeholders, contributing to successful business expansion.
Hailing from an analytics, portfolio management, and operations background, Coleby dedicated a significant portion of her career to QBE Insurance. There, she spearheaded the agencies and partnership national team, overseeing the strategy and portfolio profitability of QBE's underwriting agencies and partnerships business, boasting a multi-million combined premium during her tenure.
Coleby's appointment mirrors POP's robust growth trajectory and aspirations as it extends its global presence and introduces tech-enabled M&A and specialty products in specific markets.
Coleby's reporting lines will be to Killian McDermott and David Rogers, the co-founders and co-CEOs of POP.
“I look forward to working closely with Killian and David to drive POP's growth and continued success across its key markets in Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and the UK,” Coleby said.
“We are delighted to announce Nicole's appointment, which comes at an exciting time as we further strengthen our global footprint, with both Fusion and io.insure having exciting developments in their pipelines,” McDermott said. “We believe that Nicole is a great asset in leading our global operations teams, with her strong background and expertise in managing these functions at leading insurance organisations. We are very confident in her capabilities to deliver high quality services and a strong work ethic as foundations for our business success.”
“We warmly welcome Nicole to the growing POP team,” Rogers said. “As we cement our position as a leading global boutique data and tech-enabled M&A and specialty insurance services group, it is crucial to bolster our people and strategic operations and align them with our tech capabilities, so we remain resilient and competitive in the long term. Moving into the new year, we are confident that with a solid strategy across the organisation, we will grow the business to new heights and deliver on our promises to customers, partner insurers, distributors, and advisors.”
Coleby joined POP after the appointment of tech veteran Shannon Murphy as POP's group chief information officer (CIO).
