Townsend has been with RSA for 10 years, joining as a legal counsel in 2012. He also held the roles of group head of financial crime and group data protection officer. Before joining RSA, he was a solicitor at Berwin Leighton Paisner and Clifford Chance.
In his new leadership role at RSA, Townsend will be responsible for implementing and monitoring regulatory developments and creating support frameworks and policies. He will also work with business areas affected by regulatory changes, advise and guide the RSA board and executive team, and work with RSA’s parent company Intact Financial Corporation (Intact) and group CCO Robin Richardson.
Commenting on his new role, Townsend said: “I’m really pleased to take on this new role, continuing my journey at RSA, and would like to thank all my colleagues for their support over the years. Insurance is a highly regulated sector, and my background as a solicitor means that I’m well placed to monitor, manage, and implement these rules. I’m very much looking forward to it.”
RSA chief risk officer Dave Howell commented that Townsend’s decade-long experience, dedication, and performance in the company made him the right candidate for the role.
“We’re delighted to have promoted him into this important role, where he’ll be responsible for managing RSA’s response to the regulations that govern us, and [we] look forward to continuing to work with him,” Howell added.
RSA, owned by Intact since 2021, has established businesses in the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. During the first half of 2022 (H1 2022), it posted an underwriting profit of £31 million, a turnaround from the £143 million underwriting loss last year.
