Ant Middle starts new Ageas role next week

Ant Middle will join Ageas UK’s retail and distribution unit as partnerships director on 21 January.

Ageas’s appointment of Middle, perhaps best known for 10-year stint at AXA UK, was first revealed in July 2013.

Middle left his role as AXA UK’s commercial director AXA in June 2010 to join rival insurer Aviva as UK strategic partnerships director.

The move will reunite Middle with Ageas retail and distribution chief executive Mark Cliff, to whom he will report in his new role.

The two worked together at AXA before Cliff, then AXA’s markets director, left to join Ageas in 2008.

In his new role Middle will be responsible for leading the partnerships team and targeting and attracting new clients. He will also support Ageas Retail’s existing roster of partners.

Cliff said: “Ant is a key appointment for Ageas and I’m delighted that we have attracted someone of his calibre, with his significant expertise and industry contacts.

“We pride ourselves on partnering with some of the UK’s strongest brands, and are keen to develop our partnership strategy even further.

“Ant is just the person to lead us forward in this important area as we continue to attract, grow and retain customers, working with both new and existing partners.”

Middle added: “It’s a great time to be joining Ageas, and I’m looking forward to building on the significant partnerships already in place.  Ageas has a strong track record and reputation in the affinity partnership market and I’m excited about the opportunities that exist for us to broaden our reach.”