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AXA Commercial has created a new director role which it says will bring together all of its broker trading contact points to help deliver “enhanced cohesion” to its broker distribution strategy in the UK commercial market.
Nick Watson, former Arista MD, has been appointed director of commercial distribution and trading, and will have responsibility for broker marketing, development, the branch network and strategic partnerships, the insurer revealed today.
Watson joins AXA’s commercial leadership team having spent the past 20 years in senior roles in the insurance industry, and brings with him experience across distribution, product development, operations and relationship management, AXA said.
As part of the move, Douglas Barnett, head of customer risk management, will take on further responsibility as head of mid-market as AXA focuses on growing and developing its mid-market proposition.
“Over the last five years, AXA Commercial has grown and developed relationships to become a key part of most broker’s commercial offering,” Jon Walker, executive managing director of AXA Commercial, said in a statement.
“With over £1.1bn in GWP, a well-established, UK-wide branch network and propositions that cover the breadth of the commercial market, we need to ensure that we are not only offering brokers the best today, but can continue to do so in the future.
“That’s why I have brought Nick in and placed a number of the key trading levers in his control. He has a great track record in broker distribution and I look forward to welcoming him to the team and working with him to build our distribution strategy for the future. I am also delighted to promote Douglas and ensure under his direction we continue to develop our Mid-Market proposition and maintain the growth momentum we have built in this core market segment.”
