A guide to this week's movements in the insurance industry
Broker
The Insurance Partnership
John Potter has joined The Insurance Partnership (TIP) as a marine insurance consultant.
Potter previously worked at Norwich Union, Leeds, where he was regional marine manager for the North East.
His new role will involve freight liability and marine cargo insurance.
FMW
Ben Spurling has been appointed as claims handler at Essex-based brokers, FMW.
Spurling, who lives in Witham, has many years experience in this field, having previously worked for RBS Insurance, Norwich Union and AXA Direct.
Marsh
Marsh has restructured its UK retail placement practice, with Ron Hayes assuming the role of practice leader.
Hayes will also retain his role as head of European placement and leader of the risk trading practice.
Chris Tabbitt will be suppoering Hayes as the placement practice leader (PPL) for risk management practice placement, placement solutions and the specialty practice.
Graeme MacMillan is the PPL for risk trading practice and corporate client practice placement, while Tim Pritchard is the PPL for risk management, practice placement (property, casualty and motor).
Insurer
XSPL
Paul Griffith and Russell Brown have been appointed directors of XSPL.co.uk, the online 'quote and buy' trading platform for excess layer public liability insurance.
Beazley Group
Beazley Group has appointed Dan Jones as an independent non-executive director , with effect from 1 July.
Jones has more than 20 years' experience in broking.
He previously worked with Johnson & Higgins and Marsh as chairman and chief executive of Europe/Middle East, and more recently as vice chairman of Marsh, responsible for all non-North American operations.
He will be retiring from Marsh in June.
Markel International
Markel International has appointed Henry Sturge as open market property underwriter within its non-marine property division.
Sturge joins the division to write open market business and will strengthen the underwriting capability of the existing team.
He joins Markel International from SVB Syndicates, where he held the position of unit head of the US open market account.
DAS
Mike Timmons is DAS's new head of underwriting.
His appointment completes the reshaping of the Bristol-based insurer's senior management line-up, which began in 2004.
Timmons, who is a chartered insurer and a fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, worked at CIS General Insurance in Manchester for several years, most recently as head of underwriting in the general insurance business unit.
Finsure
Finsure has appointed Linda Lo Castro as its new marketing manager.
Lo Castro has an established background in the insurance industry, having previously worked as a senior marketing executive for NIG.
She is currently studying towards an Institute of Direct Marketing diploma.
Allianz Cornhill
Allianz Cornhill Commercial has appointed Steve Coates as its UK facilities and development manager.
Coates has been with the company since 2001 and joins from Allianz Australia where he was in charge of corporate liability.
His new role entails the development and management of non-standard business arrangements.
Legal
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert
Chris Zavos will join Barlow Lyde & Gilbert as a partner on 1 May.
Zavos, who is currently at Richards Butler, specialises in shipping and energy matters, including hull, cargo, yacht, mortgagees' interest insurance, war and liability insurances and claims under construction and operating policies.
Prior to his time at Richards Butler, Zavos worked at Hill Taylor Dickinson from 1989 to 2004.
Pinsent Masons
Jacquetta Castle has joined the Pinsent Masons professional liability practice as a consultant
She was previously a partner at Charles Russell, where she was the joint head of professional liability.
Castle has particular experience in directors' and officers' liability, banking claims, financial advisers, insurance brokers, surveyors and barristers claims.
She regularly writes in the legal press, lectures widely and is vice chairman of the British Insurance Law Association.
Davies Lavery
Claire Bowler has joined Davies Lavery's catastrophic injury team as an associate.
Bowler's career has focused on personal injury and, for the past three years, she has worked exclusively on catastrophic injury cases.
BLM
Berrymans Lace Mawer has appointed five new partners, all based at its Manchester office.
The partners are: Karen Jackson (occupational disease); David Caswell (occupational disease); Anthony Manghan (commercial litigation); Robert Steele (commercial litigation); and Raymond Southern (personal injury)
Lovells
Lovells has elected 18 new partners across the world, including seven in London.
The London partners are: Stephen Bennett; Mark Donald ; Victor Fornasier; Nicholas Holman; Gill McGreevy; Roger Tym and Louise Zafer.
Profile
Primary Broker Services
Primary Broker Services (PBS) has appointed Angus Lothian and Richard Clark as business development managers.
Lothian brings to his new role some 20 years' experience with major composite insurers. Based in the London market, his roles have covered underwriting, sales and management.
Clark also has experience with major composites, working in areas such as claims, underwriting and broker development.
Both men describe their move to PBS and the company's approach to broker development as "refreshing" and "invigorating".
Lothian and Clark will be responsible for managing the relationship between PBS and its panel of brokers in this market.
PBS says the appointments support its plans for expansion in London and the South-East.
