Arch Insurance International, AXA XL, Clyde & Co, Consilium, and Kennedys have each announced senior appointments aimed at strengthening operations across underwriting, broking, and financial management functions.
Arch Insurance International confirmed the promotion of Chris Fairs (pictured above, left) to head of agency management at Arch Managing Agency Limited (AMAL), effective immediately. Based in London, Fairs reports to Tom Rivers, chief risk officer.
His remit includes oversight of Arch’s Lloyd’s-related operations and Syndicates 2012 and 1955, with responsibility for leading the approval process for syndicate business plans and Lloyd’s regulatory submissions.
Fairs joined Arch in 2022 as agency manager. He previously served as group company secretary at Argenta Private Capital and held various regulatory and technical roles at Lloyd’s, bringing longstanding experience across the Lloyd’s compliance environment.
Fairs’ appointment is just the latest in a series of hirings for the insurance group. Last week, Arch Capital Group also tapped Ondine Bourrut Lacouture as the new active underwriter of Arch Syndicate 1955 at Lloyd’s.
At AXA XL, Shaun Wilkinson (pictured above, right) has been appointed head of international casualty, retail, UK & Lloyd’s.
In this newly announced role, he will be responsible for developing the underwriting strategy for the company’s retail, international casualty portfolio and for leading the casualty underwriting unit within the risk managed underwriting segment.
He reports to Ben Kinsella, head of risk managed, retail, UK & Lloyd’s. Wilkinson has 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, equally divided between broking and underwriting roles.
Clyde & Co has announced the appointment of Ian Roberts as chair of its UK insurance practice. The role, newly created to support the firm’s sector growth plans, will focus on coordinating the firm’s insurance response in line with changing client needs.
Roberts joined Clyde & Co in 2013 and has spent the last decade in Singapore, where he led the Southeast Asia insurance practice. His experience includes advising on financial lines, general liability, reinsurance disputes, and political and credit risk claims.
As part of his new role, Roberts will head a UK insurance leadership group, joined by partners Angela Flaherty, James Roberts, Louisa Robbins, and Paula Jefferson.
Specialty broker Consilium has launched its first UK casualty binder through its Consilium Risk Solutions division.
To lead the new binder, Consilium has appointed Luke Browne as senior underwriter. Browne joins from Dual Group, bringing over 10 years of experience in liability and Contractors All Risks underwriting.
The facility is supported by A-rated delegated authority capacity and targets low and medium-risk contractors. It features revised policy wordings that remove common limitations and include extensions such as efficacy, goods on hook, rip and tear, and defective workmanship.
Additional lines of cover, including contractors all risks, plant, and property casualty, are expected to be introduced later in the year.
Earlier this week, Consilium also appointed Adrian Cousins to the newly created role of head of London Market claims.
Meanwhile, law firm Kennedys has named Laura Koller as chief financial officer. Based in the firm’s New Jersey office, Koller will oversee global financial strategy and work with the executive group and leadership teams to support the firm’s business plan.
Koller has been with Kennedys for six years, most recently serving as finance director for its 12 US offices. Her background includes over 20 years in the securities industry, with additional academic and professional training in counselling psychology.
Kennedys recently reported a 13% increase in global revenue for FY 2024/25, reaching £428 million. The firm has stated a target of US$1 billion in global turnover by 2030 and continues to focus investment on people, processes, and infrastructure.
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