Ex-Acromas chief executive among senior hires at vacation rental specialist

Pikl has appointed Steve McGuinness as its new chief operating officer and James Everett as chief underwriting officer.

The vacation rental insurtech specialist said it had made the appointments as part of a “strategic move to strengthen the leadership team to execute” its growth plans.

Its plans include securing new partnerships, expanding its markets and capitalising on demand.

As the insurtech grows, McGuinness will lead the overall management and operating of the business, while Everett will lead the delivery of its capacity, pricing and underwriting growth.

Pikl chief executive and founder Louise Birritteri said: “Both McGuinness and Everett are seasoned insurance professionals who possess deep domain experience, particularly within the specialty and global insurance landscape.

“Their appointments align perfectly with Pikl’s growth ambitions, particularly in scaling operations and delivering insurance products solutions. I am looking forward to them making a positive difference to our future.”

Experience

McGuinness has previous executive and leadership roles at Saga, Auto and General, Chubb and RBS. Most recently, he served as head of commercial vehicle at Simply Business.

He also served as chief executive at Acromas Insurance, Saga’s underwriting business, for two years.

Speaking about joining Pikl, McGuinness said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Pikl team on what promises to be a very exciting next few years for the business.

“Pikl is rapidly evolving to meet the demands of customers and we now need to create strategies to execute this growth. Innovation and speed to market are going to be key disciplines in our armoury and I hope that my experience and skillset will help the company realise its undoubted potential.”

Meanwhile, Everett was previously deputy head of underwriting at Canopius Group and brings with him expertise in the London and specialty markets.

He said: “I am delighted to have joined Pikl at a very pivotal point in its evolution, where we are seeing considerable demand for our products.

“My focus will be on creating the right capacity and delegated authority structures to enable our growth and deliver the right insurance solutions for consumers and businesses operating in vacation rentals.”