ACE Group has strengthened its construction business with three appointments in New Zealand and Australia.
Stephen Pollard has been appointed as manager, construction – Australia & New Zealand. Pollard has been with the ACE European Group since 2007 and his previous role was senior regional construction underwriter based in Manchester.
He has held a variety of underwriting roles with increasing responsibility at various insurers over the course of his 17-year career. Pollard will replace Andrew Morris, who is moving to Singapore to lead the construction industry practice group for ACE in Asia Pacific.
Michael Fletcher has been promoted from senior underwriter – construction and energy, to construction underwriting manager – Vic, SA & WA. Fletcher has been with ACE since 2008 and has more than 15 years of experience as a property, energy and construction underwriter. In his new role, Fletcher will underwrite ACE’s portfolio of construction business and manage ACE’s energy clients in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.
Kent Baerlocher was appointed to the position of construction underwriter – Australia & New Zealand and commenced his new role in May.
Baerlocher joins ACE with six years of experience as a mechanical engineer, including involvement on a number of power generation and oil and gas projects with large engineering, property and infrastructure services companies. Baerlocher has a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) Degree and a Diploma in Engineering Practice from University of Technology, Sydney.
Country president for ACE in Australia and New Zealand, John French said: “ACE continues to enhance our capabilities within Construction and these three appointments show our investment in talent to drive the business to new levels of growth.
“With our new colleague, Kent Baerlocher, we have a quality mechanical engineer who brings the right level of knowledge as an underwriter of technical lines risks,” he said. “In Stephen Pollard and Michael Fletcher, we have two trusted ACE team members stepping up to new roles with increased responsibilities.”
