Going Places

Broker

Oxygen
Andrew Wallin is joining Oxygen as the first member of the company's new broking team of professional indemnity (PI) specialists.

Wallin started his insurance career with Willis, joining its graduate training scheme in 1999. He initially dealt with major corporate clients on the design and implementation of whole account insurance solutions.

He later specialised in PI, with a specific focus on major lawyers and technology, media and telecoms clients.

THB
Joe Hantson has joined Thompson Heath & Bond as broking manager of the company's motor fleet division.

Hantson previously worked for London market wholesale broker RL Davidson and Co, where he was senior fleet broker. He has worked in the insurance industry for the past 16 years, including roles as an underwriter for Torch Motor Policies and broking for Willis.

Budget Group
Andrew Stocks has been appointed as commercial senior manager for Compare the Market, the new online comparison site arm of the Budget Group.

Prior to joining the firm, Stocks was the head of retail development at Norwich and Peterborough Building Society.

Insurer

Allianz Cornhill
Jim Green has been appointed as a key account developer for Allianz Cornhill.

Green joined the company after graduating from the University of Wales with a degree in business and finance. He worked in the underwriting department at the Leeds personal lines centre, as well as gaining experience working as part of the audit and inspection team as the northern business quality inspector.

Additionally, Allianz Cornhill's claims division has appointed Sarah Taylor as claims handling centre manager in Birmingham. She was previously head of claims at an outsourcing company.

Finally, Allianz Cornhill personal lines has appointed Susan McKellar as operations development manager.

She was previously head of operations at a financial services company.

LitComp
Catharine Brown has been appointed as marketing manager at LitComp.

Brown previously worked at Agenda Resource Management, where she was responsible for the marketing development and coordination for all divisions.

Groupama
Groupama has appointed Jeff Dunn as partnerships new business and strategy manager.

Dunn brings more than 27 years' experience, most recently in the role of new business development manager for corporate partnerships and affinities at Norwich Union.

London & European
London & European has appointed Sonja MacGregor as business development manager for its web-based legal indemnities service, titlesolv.com.

MacGregor was previously employed as ey account manager by TFC Homeloans. Prior to that, she was regional manager at First Title.

Legal

Weightmans
Tracy Smyth has joined Weightmans as a partner.

Smyth joins the company's workplace casualty team, having just returned from a 12-month career break. Prior to that she was a partner at James Chapman & Co and has extensive experience in defendant personal injury and disease work.

Veitch Penny
Veitch Penny Solicitors has promoted Richard Kaye to senior associate solicitor.

Kaye joined the Exeter- and Crediton-based law firm in 2002, bringing with him a wealth of experience.

Other

Sapiens
Insurance software specialist Sapiens has appointed Neil Hodges as sales director, spearheading the promotion of its Insight product.

Hodges has spent 25 years in the market, encompassing experience as assistant underwriter at Sturge syndicate before holding executive positions at RebusIS and Xchanging.

Sapiens has also appointed Bryan James as head of its reinsurance practice.

James has spent nearly 30 years in the market with executive positions at Weedon Underwriting, Hampden, Aegis and Sherwood International.

Joint War Committee
Clive Washbourn, head of marine at Beazley, has been appointed as chairman of the Joint War Committee (JWC), the body that represents the interests of the London underwriting community on hull war risk issues.

Washbourn succeeds Rupert Atkin, director of underwriting at Talbot Underwriting. In his new role he will ensure the JWC continues to provide a necessary and relevant information service to the London marine market.

Washbourn joined Beazley as head of marine division in 1998, after spending eight years at Ace.

SSP
SSP has appointed two new members to its insurer partnerships team.

Mark Woronowski is now head of new initiatives for the company's distribution division. He has worked for SSP for more than 19 years, most recently as executive business manager for insurer partnerships.

At the same time, Adrian Coupland has been appointed insurer relationships manager for the same division. For the past year, Coupland has been responsible for SSP's relationships with its KC Partners insurer panel.

Profile

Weightmans
Insurance law firm Weightmans has appointed Frank Burns as a consultant.

Burns recently retired from the role of chief executive at Wirral Hospital NHS Trust, which he established in 1989 having been asked by the regional health authority to take on the merger of the two acute hospitals on the Wirral - Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge - and set them up as the first-wave trust.

Burns has more than 40 years' experience in the healthcare sector, 25 at chief executive level, and was awarded the CBE in the millennium honours list for services to healthcare.

On his decision to join the law firm, Burns says: "Weightmans is a market leader in the insurance sector and I'm looking forward to working closely with the team to further increase its market share."

Patrick Gaul, Weightman's managing partner, says: "Frank's knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to our national healthcare team. He will be a great mentor to our team and will increase our understanding in this important sector."