Hiscox appoints new CUO from Zurich

Hiscox has announced two senior appointments in its UK retail business.

Ben Horton has been appointed chief underwriting officer for Hiscox UK & Ireland, joins from Zurich where he spent four years as EMEA claims director.

James Browne has also been appointed managing director of the UK and Ireland direct business. 

Before joining Zurich, Horton spent eight years at RSA in a variety of commercial roles including head of strategic sourcing, commercial operations director and personal claims director. In his new role Horton will be based in London.

Browne was previously a senior marketing director at Phillips in the Netherlands where he worked for a decade.

Browne started his career as a management graduate trainee at Unilever, where he spent seven years in a variety of marketing and commercial roles. He will be based in York, where the UK direct operations team is based.

Ben Walter, chief executive of Hiscox Global Retail said: “Our retail business is an increasingly important component of Hiscox Group and like any insurance business good underwriting is critical to success.

“Ben Horton’s deep industry expertise and sharp eye for new opportunities are exactly what we need to drive our most established retail business forward.

“Our Direct channel has been integral to the success of our retail arm.

“It’s an exciting part of the business that never stands still, and we’re delighted to have a customer-focused executive like James on-board to take it forward.

“He is an exceptional leader who will build on the great momentum we have in the franchise.”