Insurer QBE has opened its new office in Leeds, marking a significant step in the firm’s regional broker strategy and bolstering its presence in the Yorkshire market. The new location at West Village on Wellington Street represents a £3.6 million investment.
“We are excited to be moving our people to such a prestigious location that is in tune with our commitment to sustainability, modernisation ambitions, and focus on employee wellbeing,” said Jason Harris, chief executive of QBE International.
“The next chapter in our Leeds story includes expanding our underwriting capability, working with more local brokers to support even more businesses in the region.”
Harris also noted that Leeds, one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK, offers a robust talent pool, enabling QBE to leverage local expertise to deliver consistent service across Europe.
The Leeds office now stands as the Australia-headquartered company’s largest European site outside of London, employing over 450 people – a notable 40% increase in headcount since 2022.
The office supports key functions, including technology, claims, and finance, with recently established centres of excellence for these areas. Additionally, QBE Leeds has seen growth in its people and operations teams.
Janine Wood, head of trading for Leeds, added: “Brokers were clear about what they wanted, to be able do business on their doorstep with decision-makers who understand the local market and the challenges local businesses are contending with.
“Our response was to grow our regional network of underwriters authorised to write different sizes and ranges of cross-class products across most industries.”
In the insurer’s office in Leeds, over 20 underwriters are able to write property, commercial combined, casualty, contractors combined, as well as fleet and motor trade, while more than 300 QBE colleagues handle claims.
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