News in brief

Hubbard joins consultancy

Former AXA chief executive Peter Hubbard has become a non-executive director at management consultancy firm Maxxim. Earlier this year, Hubbard joined insurance law firm Keoghs as a non-executive director and was appointed to the same role at UK General Insurance in September.

Beazley grows in marine

Beazley has expanded its marine underwriting capabilities to offer professional liability and logistics coverage. A new team, headed by Zareena Hussain, will lead the drive into this sector. Hussain joins from a Lloyd's managing agency, underwriting on behalf of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance. She will be joined by Vincent Egon as underwriter, and Sharon Duffy as assistant underwriter.

ABI holds tax conference

The ABI is running a one-day conference on 26 November 2009 in London on the taxation of foreign profits for insurers. The conference is aimed at chief financial officers, finance directors, tax directors and heads of tax interested in the competitiveness of the UK’s tax system. It will be non-technical and will focus on the opportunities and practical impacts rather than the legal detail of recent changes. For more information, see www.abi.org.uk/taxforeignprofits09

Argos opens aggregator

Argos has launched a price comparison website. The service, Argos Compare, is powered by Beathatquote.com, and covers financial service products from car, home and travel insurance through mortgages, pensions and credit cards to utilities. Customers are offered £30-worth of Argos vouchers with every car insurance purchase and £15 of Argos vouchers on home insurance purchases.