UK General Insurance (UKG) has hired James Starling (pictured) as its head for a new public sector division within UKG’s underwriting team.
Starling will report to Tim Smyth, chief executive officer of UKG, and will be responsible for growing UKG’s market presence in the social housing sector. He is joined by recent hires Ian Choplas and Natalie Newell in the three-person underwriting team.
Prior to joining UKG, Starling began his career at Hill House Hammond and later moved to Alan & Thomas. Most notable was his work at Ocaso S.A. for 14 years, taking on various business development roles before becoming its managing director for the UK.
“Jim Starling is a highly experienced underwriter in the public sector space,” Smyth said. “Appointing someone of his calibre underlines our intention to grow a profitable book of business in a market that we have identified as being strategically important for us.”
In the statement, Starling said he plans to leverage the post-pandemic recovery of the social housing sector to introduce UKG’s product and service proposition to the public.
“Tim painted a compelling picture of the opportunity for me at UK General, and he and the board have given me full support for our plans to build a presence in this key market, where there is plenty of opportunity as the sector emerges from the pandemic,” Starling said.
