Speakers

Post and Insurance Age content director Jonathan Swift has written and commented about the insurance industry since 1998. He has appeared on television speaking about topics as diverse as the insurance implications of Michael Jackson's death to the consequences of consolidation on motor premiums; and is a past winner of the British Insurance Brokers' Association journalist of the year and Association of British Insurers general insurance trade journalist prizes.
Jonathan has chaired/ hosted over 100 insurance events from roundtables involving a small specially invited audience, to addressing over 2000 people at the British Insurance Awards at the Royal Albert Hall. He is listed as a top 50 insurtech influencer by Insurtech News and presently coordinates the All Party Parliamentary Group for Insurance and Financial Services.

Simon is the Group Managing Director of The Romero Group encompassing Romero Insurance Brokers and our sister companies. With over 25 years experience in the commercial insurance business and working with Founder and Group CEO Justin Romero-Trigo, Simon has led the development of the business to be one of the fastest growing truly independent and multi award winning group of companies in the UK. Simon speaks all over the world about developing exceptional customer service propositions and the use of customer testimonials and reviews to boost customer confidence. Simon previously worked for AXA Insurance UK in various senior management roles around the UK regions.
 
In his spare time you'll find him watching Tottenham Hotspurs, Formula One and being a taxi for his daughter. He also actively supports young people being part of the RAF Air Cadets.

Howard has been running financial services businesses since the 1980s and was one of the founders of Clear Insurance Management Ltd in 2001. After many years as CEO he is now the Group Chair with responsibility for Clear’s M&A programme and the relationships with carriers

Ashwin has over 40 years’ experience in general insurance and broking, starting off his career at Guardian Royal Exchange at age 17 and first became a Director at Brett and Randall in 1983.

Following B&R’s organic success, Ashwin was instrumental in establishing the highly respected Brokerbility network, an alliance of staunch Independent Brokers.

After leading a Management Buy Out in 2009, the BHL group grew substantially and earlier this year, joined forces with the Clear Insurance Group.

Ashwin is a prominent member of the local community whilst still actively managing a client book. He was a member of the National Skills Task Force, under the then Secretary of State, Rt Hon David Blunkett, looking at the issue of skill shortages for UK Plc. In 2000, he was awarded an OBE for his contribution to Careers Education.

In 2014-15, Ashwin became the National President of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Ashwin’s passion is to speak out on issues impacting all aspects of the ever-changing Insurance landscape and championing client Issues.

Enquiries

Zoe Edwards, Operations Assistant

Email: zedwards@brokerbility.co.uk

Tel: 0116 281 9215

Tom is the former owner and CEO of Erskine Murray Insurance Brokers.  Erskine Murray’s foundations were laid around 40 years ago and now has 3 offices and coverage across England specialising in Business insurance, High Net Worth, and Employee Benefits.  Erskine Murray control around £30m of premium and have more than 70 staff. 

Prior to acquiring his own broker, Tom spent 20 years at Willis.  His roles included broking large international property clients in the London market and leading Willis’ global terrorism business.  He was the CEO of their US wholesale division in London and Bermuda, leading placement in the USA with a 2 year secondment to NY, returning to lead the SME segment globally.  His final role was to lead placement for the International division controlling £7.5bn of premium.

Tom was educated at Haileybury College and the University of Manchester where he graduated with a 2.1 in Economics.  Married with 3 teenage boys he is a keen skier and dog walker and sports enthusiast with his children.  Unusually he enjoys insurance and is a big fan of technology at home and in the office.

After an early career as a university lecturer in economics, where he was also an examiner for the Institute of Bankers & Trustee Savings Bank, Ashley left to establish an insurance & financial services brokerage in London & latterly in New York.  He was a non-executive director of Mysis Insurance Marketing & was responsible for the research which led to the establishment of one of the earliest life networks. He has been a past director of BIBA & for the past 6 years represented brokers at the FCA. The business remains fiercely independent and is a top 100 independent broker. The company specialises in commercial & high net worth insurance, although it also offers group benefits & private medical insurance. It recognised very early the importance of cyber risks & set up its own on-line quote & buy facility as a coverholder, available to both their own clients & other brokers.

Illuminate love helping managers and teams to create phenomenal places to work through delivering a combination of diagnostic, strategy and training interventions. Mental health is a complex subject area, but our approach to helping you create cultures that are positive and proactive about wellbeing is not complicated:

1. We take a human approach that is honest and open
2. We offer long term solutions rather than sticky plasters
3. We go beyond the theory offering practical evidence-based solutions

Anthony is the CEO of Marsh Commercial. Marsh Commercial has over 2,000 colleagues based in over 50 branches throughout the U.K.

Prior to joining Marsh Commercial, Anthony was the CEO of the Northeast region for Marsh & McLennan Agency, and led companies in Southwest, Southeast and West Coast of the US.  In his current role at Marsh Commercial, Anthony is responsible for leading all employees, divisions, and operations. He has over thirty years of experience driving profitable organic growth.

Anthony is heavily involved in developing and sustaining client relationships and brings his proprietary consultative model, “Six Degrees of Impact,” which has been proven to not only be effective but applicable to any organisation. This model offers a targeted approach for businesses to uncover challenges and create effective solutions.

Anthony has authored seven books which centre on both personal and organisational development. His works include Six Degrees of Impact, Creating Reality, Under Construction, Six Degrees the Journal, The Roots of Leadership, Pushers of the Possible and his latest book The Pen & The Lens.

Connect with Anthony on:

·      Twitter: @AnthonyCGruppo, Instagram @acgruppo or LinkedIn: Anthony C Gruppo

Stuart has been the driving force behind some of the UK’s leading insurance businesses including Stuart Alexander, AJ Gallagher and Bluefin.

He has served as Vice President of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII); Chair of the CII Broking Faculty; Deputy Chair of the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), and Chair of BIBA’s Large Brokers Committee, demonstrating his commitment to quality standards.

He is currently the Non-Executive Chairman of Partners& and PIKL.

Grant entered the family business on a permanent basis in 2006 as Marketing Director. He quickly established it as a forward thinking, digitally minded broker. Working within a small, close knit and dynamic management team Grant played a significant role in developing TPG’s overall business strategy. That included the launch of Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance and the pivoting of the Plan Insurance Brokers brand towards commercial lines.

In November 2017, Grant stepped up to become Group MD with a remit to deliver significant growth. Double digit organic revenue uplifts are being achieved and in 2019 Pedal Cover was acquired to complement the group’s already strong bicycle offering.

As the business expands its vital to Grant that an enjoyable, warm workplace atmosphere is maintained along with the provision of outstanding customer service. In the last 12 months the firm has been recognised by insurance industry awards for: Best SME Employer, Best Training & Development Program and Claims Team of the Year.

Melissa Collett is Professional Standards Director at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), leading its professional standards, ethics and conduct activity as a united profession across insurance and financial planning. She is also responsible for the professional body’s legal affairs, risk management, disciplinary matters and governance. She is keen to raise awareness of best practice and drive ethical behaviour through engagement with the profession and external stakeholders.

Melissa has an extensive background in consumer and legal issues. She spent over a decade at the Financial Ombudsman Service, was a Director at Fairer Finance and sits as a Tribunal Judge. She is also qualified solicitor, specialising in insurance law at Hogan Lovells. She is a frequent speaker at conference and events, sits on judging panels, and is the author of numerous articles and publications on consumer law subjects.

Clive has responsibility for GRP's Underwriting division. He joined GRP in April 2018 from Primary Group, where he fulfilled a variety of senior roles including non-executive chairman of Rural Insurance and executive chairman of One Commercial.

Between 2006-2016 he was CEO of Towergate Underwriting, having joined the business in 2003 as a regional managing director.

Clive began his career in 1987 as a graduate entrant with Commercial Union, where he had a number of different roles. He joined AXA UK in 1999 as national broker director and was involved in the acquisition of GRE that resulted in him becoming regional director.

Clive is a past member of the CII Underwriting Faculty and is a past winner of the Insurance Times Industry Achiever of The Year.

Howard Pearson FCII, is a veteran of the retail broking industry, taking in 2015, the unusual step of leaving behind his senior management roles and co-founding a new brokerage, Innovation Broking, which has grown to c.£20 million GWP, without any acquisitions. 

Howard's previous career includes being MD of Miller Insurance Services (UK) Ltd, MD of Giles, CEO of top 50 Lloyd's broker and MGA OAMPS, and is a past main board Director of BIBA. 

Today Howard's works on the front line, dealing with the provision of an outstanding service to upper end commercial and not for profit organisations. 

Howard brings a unique perspective on our industry today.

Strong global operations leader and influencer with over 25 years’ experience of delivering major technology and organisational change in the London Re/Insurance industry.

Proven experience developing and implementing change strategies to deliver people, process and policy goals.

An agile and resilient member of the Executive Team helping shape Corporate Strategy, with Board and SMF responsibility for IT, Operations, Compliance and Risk.

Karen has worked in the Insurance Industry since 1989 with a background predominantly in underwriting. Karen Joined AXA Insurance 6 years ago as Underwriting Manager for Scotland branch and subsequently Regional Underwriting Manager for the UK North Region. Her current role involves continuous assessment of AXA commercials Mid market customers to ensure that proposition delivery is relevant and truly adds value.  This involves insight into industry challenges and creating solutions or assistance for these issues. Looking at areas that compliment AXA policy products to offer solutions that may actually be an alternative to risk transfer.  

Graeme was appointed CEO in July 2023. Prior to this he was BIBA’s Executive Director for ten years when he joined the main board of BIBA and led the BIBA policy team that incorporates corporate affairs, technical services and communications.  He is personally responsible for BIBA’s public affairs lobby with government, has provided written and oral evidence to the House of Commons and the House of Lords and is the author of the annual BIBA manifesto.  Prior to joining BIBA Graeme was a general insurance broker between 1989 and 2001.

Graeme’s knowledge of insurance and the sector is wide-ranging, and he appears regularly as a source of expertise in the media where he promotes the benefits of using a broker.  He sits on the main board of the Employers’ Liability Tracing Office, the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities: Building Safety Programme Market Assurance Group, the MOD Financial Services Steering Group and the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Society of Insurance Broking, as well as BIBA’s Insurance Brokers’ Standards Committee. He has also participated on the CBI Trade Association Council and Insurance Fraud Taskforce. As a strong advocate of expanding access to insurance, Graeme sits on the Insurance Disability Champion’s Access to Insurance Steering Group and the BIBA Access to Insurance cross-sector committee.  Graeme is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute and a Chartered Insurance Practitioner.  

Claire has been at the FCA for three and a half years, and currently heads up the Insurance Sector department within Insurance Supervision.  The department is responsible for implementing a number of the FCA Business Plan priorities, including the new Pricing Practices rules and our work on Business Interruption insurance. The department is also responsible for analysing and agreeing a supervision strategy to address potential harms within the insurance portfolios. Claire will soon be taking maternity leave from the FCA to have her second child, which is due at Christmas.

Prior to joining the FCA, Claire held in a series of leadership roles in Local Government, most recently as Head of Insight and Intelligence at Essex County Council.

Claire has a BA Hons in Government from Manchester University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Leadership from Warwick Business School and a Masters Degree from the University of Lancashire.

Steve Molloy is Director of Commercial Sales at AX.

Steve specialises in providing claims management solutions for the motor insurance and broker sectors.

Having worked for AX for 5 years, Steve has spent most of his career in and around the Insurance industry and its’ supply chain. Steve’s experience allows him to understand the operational and commercial challenges faced by AX’s partners and come up with solutions.

Steve is particularly interested in identifying how technology and data can help shape the future claims landscape having been heavily involved in developing AX’s Electric Vehicle strategy and positioning.

Colin presents Fighting Talk on Radio 5Live plus the weekday 11pm slot also on 5 Live as well as Quest's Football League Coverage. For many years he anchored the BDO Lakeside World Darts Championship on BBC plus Eurosport's Snooker Coverage. 

He hosted the popular Friday night sports preview show, Kicking Off as part of 5 Live Sport and presented talkSPORT's mid morning programme Monday to Friday for 3 years, tripling the audience in the process.

He was a key member of the Beeb's World Cup coverage in South Africa, presenting the main highlights, as well as two live games, while in the build up to the London Olympics he interviewed all living British Gold Medallists for 5 Live's acclaimed 'Gold Rush'.

He has maintained a written journalistic career, alongside his broadcasting.  His first novel 'A Random History of Football', sold so well in hardback it went to paperback and he is widely published in the print media.Earlier on in his career he co-published his own cutting-edge music magazine Blank

Colin originally came to prominence on  BBC Radio 1, hosting many shows and forging a successful partnership with Edith Bowman, eventually co-hosting the weekday afternoon slot 'The Colin and Edith Show'. He won his first coveted Sony Award for Music Broadcaster Of The Year during his final few years at Radio 1 when presenting the 10pm - midnight slot, indulging his love of Alternative Music.

He began his career as a news reporter, cutting his teeth at the Ulster News Letter. He was crowned IPR Northern Ireland Entertainment Journalist of the Year 2002, and it was this journalistic ethos that helped him win another Sony Gold The Feature Award - for a documentary he made with All Out Productions entitled 'The Trouble With Drugs'.

He also co-wrote and presented the BBC2 sports documentary The 85 Final: Davis vs Taylor.

During 2020 Colin recorded his new podcast "At Home With Colin Murray" where he talked to some of the biggest names in sport in a truly unique setting...either his house or theirs! Interviewees include Steve Davis, Barry Hearn, and Jurgen Klopp.

A superb host who really throws himself into proceedings, getting everyone involved…he even presents his own “Awards within an Awards” where he mingles with guests during the drinks reception and dinner working out whose up for a laugh. It will be fun categories like “Best Dressed Woman” (always goes to one of the older women in the room), “Best Baldie” etc.

Frank Warren has spent forty years working with boxing's most colourful and controversial characters. In his long-awaited autobiography, he reflects on the battles he had to win to reach the top and remain there, not least the battle to stay alive after he was shot at point-blank range in an attempted assassination in 1989. In Frank and Fearless, Warren pulls no punches, taking us behind the scenes into a world of blood and sweat, and intense relationships that all too often end in tears. Under Warren's careful stewardship, Frank Bruno, Naseem Hamed, Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan and Tyson Fury all became world champions. So did Terry Marsh, the man who was later accused, and cleared, of trying to murder him. Along the way, Warren has been assaulted in a hotel room by the formidable Mike Tyson and gone toe to toe in a court room with his erstwhile partner, the flamboyant Don King. However, boxing is only part of the story that begins on a council estate in 1950s North London, where Warren first learnt how to stand up to bullies. That was how he overcame and outwitted the powerful cartel that controlled British boxing and tried to stop his career before it started, and it is why he is still around to reflect on his remarkable life. With cameo appearances from Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Pink Floyd and the Philadelphia mafia, Frank and Fearless is the unflinchingly candid and hard-hitting memoir of Britain's most famous and influential boxing promoter.

Sara Fardon is the Managing Director of Willis Towers Watson Networks, a position she has held since 2011. Sara has had a distinguished career in insurance working within household names, before joining Willis Towers Watson. Sara then took the helm at their Network division as it was starting out and has guided it to deliver over £400 million GWP into the markets.

Sara invests in the future: she ensured Networks was the first Network to achieve Chartered Status and proudly continue to hold this recognition. As Network celebrates 21 years of delivering to its Network Members, Sara has embraced the digital future pushing Networks to the forefront of this opportunity.

She is keen to ensure her Network delivers solutions for the independent insurance broker of tomorrow and deploys the resources of Willis Towers Watson to back her Network.
In addition to her all-encompassing role within the Network Sara is a member of the BIBA Networks and MGA Advisory committee, and a very active member of the Worshipful Company of Insurers.
Away from work Sara is a very active volunteer in her local community and relaxes at her allotment turning new season produce into delicious dishes.
 

Kevin is Managing Director of Yutree Insurance. Yutree is a Chartered Insurance Brokerage based in Newmarket, Suffolk and is a commercial insurance broker and underwriting agency offering commercial solutions for clients and brokers.

Prior to Yutree, Kevin was responsible for the development of underwriting facilities and niche products across a major UK broking business following the sale of his previous insurance business to that firm.

3 years ago, the Chartered Insurance Institute formed the Society of Insurance Broking – the professional body dedicated to those working in the insurance broking sector. Kevin is the chair of the SIB, with a core objective to improve consumer confidence and trust in the profession.

Kevin is a former Director of the British Insurance Brokers Association and was chair of BIBA's General Insurance Brokers Committee before becoming the inaugural chair of the Smaller Brokers’ Advisory Board. He also formerly chaired the national Broker Panel for Pool Re, the government-backed reinsurer for terrorism cover in the UK.

Heavily involved in the local business community, Kevin is a trustee of the Newmarket Charitable Foundation organising community-based events raising funds for local good causes. He was the founder of the Newmarket Network and, more recently, the Anglia Business Club.

Kevin lives near Newmarket with his wife, Laura, with three children and a giant cat and some normal-sized chickens. He is a driver for and co-owner of Jemco Racing, a motor racing team competing in the UK and Europe. He is also into rugby and cricket.

Kathryn Moon is a Sales Director for Gallagher’s Retail Division, which looks after the risk management and insurance solutions for over one million businesses across the UK.

Kathryn joined Gallagher in 2014 to head up the firm’s Coventry office, and in 2020 moved into her current role where she is responsible for business development and growth across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Under her leadership the region has gone from strength to strength reporting a 35% year on year increase in new business growth.

Kathryn has extensive insurance industry experience having previously worked at The Oval Group for 15 years, which Gallagher acquired in 2014. She held a number of roles, latterly heading up business development in a high growth territory. Kathryn’s experience spans client service, project management, sales and office leadership, development of a growth culture and the implementation of effective sales infrastructures to enable growth.

Alasdair has been at AXA since 2011. He has overall responsibility for Marketing and Broker Development in the Commercial intermediated business.

Prior to joining AXA, Alasdair spent a number of years in a variety of sectors including food manufacturing, BPO, Consultancy, Sales and Corporate Development.

He is married and has 2 grown-up children.

Mark leads Acrisure’s UK Retail operations and is driving Acrisure’s strategic expansion in UK Retail. ​

Mark has 25 years experience advising the insurance sector and has worked with almost all the larger Retail Brokers and the UK consolidators.​

Prior to joining Acrisure this year, Mark led the Deloitte Financial Services Audit & Assurance Group.  Mark advised Brokers on M&A, moving up the insurance value chain, regulatory issues and led strategic projects in finance​

Mark was previously Chairman of Deloitte Gibraltar where he led a review of the Gibraltarian Insurance Market for HM Treasury and was previously an FCA & PRA Skilled Person.

Sharon has over 30 years of insurance experience and a proven track record in creating and delivering insurance schemes and products, sales and marketing strategies and robust business infrastructures. I

n her last role as chief sales officer for a large independent Lloyd’s insurance broker, she developed original sales and distribution models for clearing banks, insurance companies, MGAs and insurance brokers.

Prior to this, she was a sales and marketing director, and so brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her current role as managing director of Harbour Underwriting.

Sharon was named as a woman of influence in 2018 by Insurance Business magazine and was recently nominated in three categories for the Insurance Times Women in Insurance Awards 2020: Insurance Woman of the Year, Role Model of the Year and Trailblazer. In 2021, Sharon was named on the IB UK Elite Women list.

Andrew Cheney is a qualified Chartered Surveyor and a board member of the AiS (Association of Insurance Surveyors) who has been working exclusively for Hiscox insurance for the last  16 years.

The third generation in a family of valuers and auctioneers, Andrew’s first career was spent working for Sotheby’s throughout UK and then in USA where has was an Assistant Vice President within the decorative arts division. 

During his fine art career, Andrew has featured on the American Antiques Roadshow, as well as BBC programmes “Bargain Hunt” and “Flog It !”

In his current role Andrew visits the risks insured by Hiscox advising High Net Worth private individuals, Museums and Galleries on a variety of issues from fire & security to risk management and sums insured.
 

Johnty Mongan runs the cyber risk management practice for Gallagher’s Retail division in the UK. Johnty and his team support organisations reduce their cyber exposures in both the public and private sectors. Johnty has supported many industries including the NHS, manufacturing, not for profit, retail and financial services.

Prior to joining Gallagher, Johnty founded and run a number of businesses including The Mongan Group and HubCyber.

Rob has been within the insurance industry for 30 years and 20 years with AXA. Part of Rob’s role is managing the flood assessment tools within AXA and with a background in risk management Rob understand how mitigation of flood risk can be possible.

Rob represents AXA at the DEFRA Flood Resilience Roundtable and the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum (WSBF).

Emily graduated from Bangor University, North Wales in 2003 and started her career soon afterwards with Zurich Insurance as a graduate trainee. She soon realised that she wanted to represent the client, not the insurer and started working for an independent broker in 2005. This business was bought out by larger businesses during the 13 years Emily spent with the company. She is passionate about improving the profession and believes there is a wealth of opportunity to do so. As such she gets involved in the professional bodies to do just that. She is currently working on the New Generation Programme for the Chartered Insurance Institute looking at ways the broking community can support clients to rebuild public trust in our sector.

She is also a passionate runner having completed marathons in London, Berlin, Newport, Taunton, Gloucester, and Bournemouth!

With more than 40 years’ experience in the insurance market, Lynne has worked with a number of brokers including Sedgwick/Marsh, Aon, HSBC Insurance Brokers and Bluefin in roles from client management to profit centre management and sales. As Head of Sales for Willis Towers Watson Networks, Lynne is passionate about supporting independent brokers and helping to nurture new start-ups.

Lynne lives in Worcester where her hobbies include renovating the wreck of a Georgian coach-house she and her husband recently purchased and training their two German Shepherd dogs.

Charles has some 40 years’ experience in insurance, having worked for MGAs, brokers and insurers, from junior to CEO level, and as an entrepreneur.

Charles is currently:

· Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Manchester Underwriting Management Ltd (a UK MGA, now part of the Gallagher group)

· A member of the supervisory board and a shareholder of a Polish MGA

· Chairman of the Managing General Agents Association, the MGAA

Previously, Charles has been Chief Executive Officer of a UK insurer, active underwriter of a Lloyd's syndicate, non-executive director of a UK insurer and founder and Managing Director of Dickson Manchester & Co Ltd, a wholesale Lloyd’s broker.

Alistair is Chief Executive Officer for Marsh’s UK Corporate business, which provides risk management advice, insurance brokerage and claims advocacy services to mid-size and large organisations through its network of UK offices.  

In this role Alistair is responsible for over 650 colleagues across the UK driving strategy, execution and overall growth of Marsh’s Corporate business. 

He is also a member of Marsh’s UK Executive Committee and is a main Board Director of Marsh Limited.

Alistair has over 23 years of experience in the insurance industry. He began his career in 1995 working as an underwriter in the London insurance market and has spent the last 19 years in insurance broking.

Alistair joined Marsh 12 years ago and has held a number of leadership roles including Regional Director for Southern Region in the UK, and he spent five years as Head of Sales for Asia based in Singapore. Before his current position, he most recently spent two years as Chief Executive Officer & President Director for Marsh Indonesia and Chief Corporate Officer, MMC Indonesia located in Jakarta.

Alistair holds a BA(Hons) Financial Services from UWE, Bristol, and is CII qualified

Clare has been involved in the insurance industry for over 30 years. She’s held senior positions at three of the four largest insurance brokers in the London Market. In her early career, Clare was a London Market reinsurance broker focusing on advising Lloyd’s syndicates on their reinsurance programme.

Prior to joining SRG, Clare was chief executive of the London Market Group (LMG), a market-wide body bringing together the specialist commercial (re)insurance broking and underwriting communities to build on London’s position and reputation as the global centre of insurance excellence.

Clare joined LMG from JLT Specialty (now Marsh Specialty) where she was head of operations. In this role, she played a key role in JLT’s Brexit planning.

Clare has always been heavily involved with Market wide modernisation initiatives and whilst she was at the LMG she was the sponsor of the Future at Lloyd's data work stream.

Steve Beard is the Private Car & Telematics Divisional Head at Markerstudy Group. He has been working in the insurance industry since 1995, joining Markerstudy in 2008. He particularly enjoys working with brokers on new technological innovations and data driven propositions.

Steve’s personal passion is travel. His greatest adventure took him backpacking through Asia and around Australia and New Zealand. Other experiences include volunteering in Zimbabwe on a wildlife sanctuary and camping in the Peruvian rain forest.

Richard is the Director of Commercial and Rural business at A-Plan Insurance, and has been at A Plan for 13 years (this time) having started his insurance career at A Plan in 1990. He has also held sales and distribution roles at Independent, Axa and Fusion.

Over the last 13 years Richard has overseen the development of the A-Plan commercial business from a virtual standing start to an overall book now of circa £250m GWP, mainly through organic growth, supported by acquisition.

Colin has been working in the UK insurance market since the mid 90’s, with experience covering Commercial, Personal and Niche lines for the insurer and broker markets.

At IDEX he works with clients across the UK helping them grow their businesses.   His expertise and experience in understanding placement strategy, risk appetite, business development plans & income optimisation help IDEX to address the challenges that brokers face in the current market.

John Stagg is the Director of the wholesale department at Brunel Professions. With over 20 years’ experience working in the Professional indemnity insurance market, John brings specialism in a wide range of professions throughout the UK including, but not limited to, insurance brokers, solicitors, accountants, surveyors, and architects.  

Brunel wholesale is a part of Brunel Professions; one of the UK’s leading specialist PII brokers, with over 7,000 clients and GWP in PII of over £60 million. 

John previously worked as a Lloyd’s broker and global MGA, with a strong track record of delivering innovative and cost-effective solutions for both brokers and PII clients. 

Since joining Brunel in 2010, he was responsible for creating Brunel’s wholesale team. Since its inception the wholesale team has grown significantly and Brunel are now one of the largest wholesale professional indemnity brokers in the UK, placing policies for over 300 insurance brokers.  

John and the Brunel wholesale team place cover for all types of professional firms: including larger and more complex placements, with previous claims and high limits of indemnity.  

Tina Winterburn is a Claims Director in Gallagher’s Retail Division and oversees all claims operations in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. She joined Gallagher in 2014 when The Oval Group was acquired.  In her role she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the current claims service as well as developing and implementing new innovations to improve the service and support given to clients.

Tina started her career as an underwriter at RSA, before moving into loss adjusting working for Robins, and becoming a broker at Hart Owens in the mid-90s.  Always happiest helping clients through their crises, Tina is a firm believer in prevention where possible, so also has a keen interest in risk management and business continuity. 

Leon is an experienced insurance professional with a keen passion for all spheres of the Automotive Sector – admiring the classics and enthused about how technology is shaping the future (both on track and off).

With nearly two decades of sector-specific experience and technical expertise, Leon leads and manages Partners&’s multi-disciplinary Automotive practice, across its nationwide network of offices and Client Partners.

Having started his career in South Africa, supporting the automotive sector with all its insurance and risk management requirements, Leon relocated to the UK over 14 years ago where he has worked for large national and global brokers providing tailored risk solutions for all spheres of the motor trade community from large multi-franchised multinational dealerships, non-franchised independent dealerships and accident/body repairers to MOT stations, mechanical repair and service centres, SMART repairers, tyre and exhaust fitment centres.

Leon is a member of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), an avid motorsport enthusiast and an active supporter of the automotive charity Ben – the Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.

After starting his career in motor underwriting, Peter switched to broking, and eventually 
led a management buy-out of the UK commercial division of Farr in 2000 which he then 
named FMW Risk Services Ltd. He grew this business to approximately £25m gross written 
premium before selling the business in December 2007 to Oval. In 2012 Peter was 
appointed Chief Executive of Oval and he ran the business through until its eventual sale to 
Arthur J. Gallagher which completed in April 2014.
In May 2015 Peter concluded a management buy-in of Aston Scott and then led the 
merger with Lark Group in 2017. As Group CEO of Aston Lark, he now leads a business 
with more than 1,500 staff operating from offices across the UK and Ireland and writing
approximately £1billion of gross written premium. Aston Lark is backed by the merchant 
banking division of Goldman Sachs alongside Bowmark Capital LLP.
Peter is also non-executive chairman at Hastings Insurance Services Ltd, the broker arm of 
Hastings Direct, and up until recently served as chairman of the Large Brokers’ Advisory 
Board at the British Insurance Brokers Insurance Association (BIBA). He is currently Deputy 
President of the Chartered Insurance Institute and has been elected President for 2022.
Peter lives in Colchester with his wife, Sue, and has three children aged 21, 19 and 14 and 
his hobbies include cycling, golf, shooting and watching rugby