Arista poaches AIG UK trio for Midlands launch

Commercial lines underwriter Arista has opened its sixth office to support Birmingham and Midlands-based brokers.

The Birmingham branch will enable Arista to expand its agency base and achieve its target of 250 brokers. Having already built up a number of relationships with brokers in the area, Arista has found a strong appetite to trade from other brokers in the Midlands market.

Scott Hallett joins Arista as broker development manager for the Midlands from AIG, where he had a similar role covering the East Midlands. He previously worked for Primary, GA/CGU/NU Bonus and RSA.

Rebecca Light joins Arista as a senior underwriter also from AIG, where she held the position of senior casualty underwriter. Light has previously worked with Primary, NIG and NU.

Tom Bolstridge joins Arista as an underwriter from AIG where he had worked in a similar role for eight years.

Arista chief executive Charles Earle said: “We are very pleased to announce our commitment to independent brokers in the Midlands market with the establishment of this high quality, locally based team. Although Arista has expanded very quickly this has been an extremely considered process.

"We have not just moved to areas to fulfill some strategic game plan but have engaged and talked to local markets, and have established offices only after identifying the potential for tangible and lasting mutual benefit. And after finding the right people to deliver what Arista does well to our selected broker panel.

“In this case the Midlands area more than fulfills all our criteria. It is a strong insurance market where the independent regional brokers that play a major part in it, have given our plans a very positive response. And in Birmingham we have found an enthusiastic and skilled workforce, which we plan to grow as our business in the area expands. We have put in place the local infrastructure to support them.”

Arista also has offices in London, Redhill, St Albans, Manchester, Bristol and Southampton.