As announced in July, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) will have its first-ever independent chair – now, that person has been identified, alongside ABI’s new director general and independent non-executive director.
Taking on the newly defined role as ABI independent chair is Baroness Nicky Morgan, who spent more than one and a half decades at City law firms prior to being elected to Parliament. The House of Lords member previously served as chair of the House of Commons Treasury Committee.
The Baroness is taking over from Jon Dye, who is also leaving Allianz and has chaired the ABI since 2019.
“The insurance and long-term savings industry is one of the UK’s biggest global success stories,” asserted Morgan. “There are many challenges and opportunities facing the sector ranging from customer trust to supporting the transition to Net Zero. The ABI has an excellent reputation, and I’m excited to take on this new role as the ABI’s first independent chair at this crucial time.
“I would like to offer my thanks to Jon Dye for his leadership of the sector during a challenging time and for a smooth handover of responsibilities.”
Meanwhile, succeeding Huw Evans as director general early next year is Hannah Gurga, who will be joining from UK Finance. Her credentials include time spent at LCH, London Stock Exchange Group, ICAP, and HM Treasury. Gurga’s predecessor is making the shift to KPMG in 2022.
The incoming director general commented: “The ABI is globally recognised as a leading advocate for the insurance and long-term savings industry, and I am committed to building on its reputation to ensure we help members deliver the best outcomes for their customers.
“The external environment in which we’re operating is changing rapidly, and it is vital that the ABI delivers across issues as varied as climate change, diversity and inclusion, resilience, and the digital and data revolution. I look forward to working with members, colleagues, government, and regulators to enhance our industry’s reputation and impact.”
Also coming onboard is Baroness Dianne Hayter, who most recently served as the shadow deputy leader of the House of Lords. The new independent non-executive director becomes the ABI board’s senior independent director.
“The ABI’s members play a vital role in supporting our economy and providing a financial safety net for families across the UK,” she said. “I’m delighted to take up the role of independent non-executive director and look forward to seeing what more can be done to boost consumer trust.”
Meanwhile Royal London chief executive Barry O’Dwyer, who recently became president of the trade body, stated: “We’re honoured to welcome Baroness Nicky Morgan as independent chair of the Association of British Insurers and Baroness Dianne Hayter as independent non-executive director. Both bring with them exceptional experience and as consumer champions will be an independent voice for customers across the insurance and long-term savings sector.
“Hannah Gurga is a respected and experienced financial services professional with a strong track record of leadership built in the UK civil service, the City, and a leading trade association. The ABI board is delighted to appoint someone of her calibre as our next director general after an open and competitive process.”
O’Dwyer sees the appointments as strong changes to the executive leadership and board of ABI.
He said: “I look forward to working closely with Hannah as we strive to deepen our work on climate change, do more to improve customer outcomes, and seek to harness the digital revolution for the benefit of those we serve. I would also like to thank Huw Evans for such formidable leadership during a decade of great change for our industry.”
