Next generation brokers

Graham Barr

Chairman of project risks group
Heath Lambert
Graham Barr joined Heath Lambert in 2001 as managing director of the group's UK broking division. After impressing in his first three years at the broker, he was promoted to Chairman of Project Risks Group in 2004. Barr is now in his late 30s and gained an MBA from Henley Management College in 2002.

His previous experience in the industry includes spells working for Sedgwick, J&H and Aon.

He was heavily involved in Heath Lambert's BISC market remuneration scheme last year. He is comfortable with the public spotlight and has appeared on the BBC and CNBC.

Despite his Indian birthplace, Caledonian blood runs deep and he is a fervent supporter of Scottish rugby.

David Curry

New business broking manager, HW Wood
David Curry says he fell into insurance straight out of six form at the age of 18 in 1993 and worked for a small provincial broker Kelsh & Sons starting off as an accounts clerk. Kelsh & Sons were bought by Miller in 1995 and Curry worked his way up from the accounts department to become an associate director in 2003. By this time he was managing the new business team, reporting to the director Mark Stevenson. Curry was runner-up in the National Biba Young Broker of the Year awards in May 2003 and went on to become the Biba South East Young Broker of the Year in November 2003.

He has taken all the major CII qualifications and finally achieved the ACII in April 2005. He was a leading member of an FSA task force for Miller in 2004 and continues to take a keen interest on the developments surrounding the regulation of the insurance industry. In January 2006, he left Miller after 13 years to work for

HW Wood to strengthen its new business team and to continue the company's growth plans. Curry is getting married on 1 July to Marie and he has two daughters, Amber and Gemma.

Man Cheung

Technical director, modelling, analysis & design team, Marsh
Man Cheung, technical director of Marsh's modelling, analysis & design team and compliance and professional standards officer, UK Risk Consulting Practice

Cheung obtained an MA in Mathematics from Cambridge, and a postgraduate diploma in actuarial management, which he completed through part-time study.

At 31, Cheung has worked in the industry for 10 years and has a strong background in actuarial consulting background, he joined Marsh from sister company Mercer Oliver Wyman in 2001.

As technical director of modelling, analysis and design, Cheung works on a wide variety of projects across numerous industries, from marine and energy and large industrials/ conglomerates, to national/central governmental organisations. He is currently engaged in projects in Russia, where risk management is growing in prominence among corporate businesses.

Cheung is the media spokesman for Marsh on modelling, analysis and design issues.

While at Cambridge, Cheung co-founded the Association of British and Chinese University Students, which resulted in mirror organisations being formed in London and other universities.

Martin davidson

Client account executive, Willis
Martin Davidson is well known as one of the most trenchant contributors to our Young Professionals' Roundtable.

After graduating in law from Queen's University, Belfast, in 1999, Davidson joined Willis' graduate programme and moved quickly up the ranks, gaining two promotions before transferring to the City in 2004.

Davidson's current role is client account executive, servicing multinational clients in the food & drink, retail and services sectors.

He has picked up a plethora of qualifications over the past four years, including certificate in IT for Insurance Professionals, ACII, Chartered Insurance Broker and FCII.

Davidson's potential has been recognised by his peers. He was awarded the Biba prize by the CII in 2003 and won the UK Highly Commended award in the CII Young Insurance Professional of the Year Award 2005.

Julian Edwards

Director, MCE Insurance
Julian Edwards has been with MCE Insurance since 1996, when he started as an insurance adviser with responsibility for specialist cars.

He is a founding member of Insurance Times' Young Professional Advisory Board. The 30-year-old director now manages 78 staff, including an IT development team, product managers and insurance sales advisers.

Among Edwards' most innovative achievements are steering MCE to win Insurance Times' Marketing Campaign of the Year in 2003 for a new initiative with motorcycle dealers that now turns over $3.6m per annum.

He also spearheaded MCE's online launch the following year, producing a website that now has a turnover of more than £1m.

Edwards has improved the percentage of MCE's personal lines business transacted via EDI from 23% to 89% in the space of two years. He was also at the forefront of the transition to the new FSA regulatory regime, and MCE was among the first companies to receive 'minded to authorise' letters in 2004.

Edwards is a keen skier and, not surprisingly, driver, which certainly helps him retain the enthusiasm that has aided his rise to the top of his profession in such a short space of time.

Mark HallAM

Head of business change, Swinton
As keen observers of football's lower reaches will know, Mark Hallam is manager of Bedworth FC in the Southern League. The former semi-professional footballer is well respected in the league for his motivational and coaching skills.

Oh, and he is also head of business change at Swinton. He worked at Colonnade Insurance Brokers before the company was taken over by Swinton four years ago. Following the acquisition, Hallam was responsible for 250 employees across 63 branches in his role as regional manager.

Among his successes at Swinton has been his introduction of a new sales process, leading to a 6% increase in the broker's amount of premium written on credit.

In his role as head of business change, Hallam is responsible for liaising between head office and the branch network, as well as implementing new ideas, with particular focus on strategy and logistics. .

Claiir Hayward

Operations director, Footman James
Clair Hayward has moved from gatekeeper to poacher in her career: namely from underwriter to broker. She started her career as a commercial underwriter at Allianz Cornhill in the Manchester office and became one of its most prolific players. She mentored a number of young graduates, one being Ben Buckton, fellow member of the Insurance Times Young Professional Advisory Board.

Hayward left Allianz Cornhill for a brief foray into the world of recruitment at Mansion House Recruitment, but rejoined mainstream insurance. with HNW and classic car broker Footman James at the end of 2005.

Nawaf husan

Broker, Aon Global Client Solutions
Nawaf Husan's linguistic abilities have helped him excel at Aon. There aren't too many Arabic speakers in the London market and Nawaf has been able to cement Aon's relationships with cedents in Egypt, Libya and Qatar.

Nawaf succeeded in gaining Aon access to the Libyan insurance market. Aon was appointed broker to the National Oil Corporation of Libya. He created a specialist Libyan desk to deal with all inquiries from the North African country across all classes of insurance business.

As well as his language skills, Nawaf was voted one of the UK's top 50 bachelors by Company magazine. Aon's contingent of female brokers can certainly vouch that Nawaf brightens up their day.

He has a Bsc (Hons) from City University and an Msc from London School of Economics, and is ACII qualified.

Eddie McLaughlin

Managing director, business risk consulting, and global practice leader for modelling, analysis and design, Marsh
McLaughlin graduated top of his class and was awarded two academic prizes in the field of risk management. He also obtained professional qualifications from the CII, Institute of Risk Management and Member Institute of Actuaries. In addition, he has also participated in industry working parties and research groups, for example, the Institute of Risk Management.

McLaughlin is currently manages a 32-strong team based around the globe.

He specialises in creation of client specific financial and risk models, computer based simulations and financial engineering solutions. He speaks Spanish and is also a certified loss reserve specialist for two Bermuda-based captive insurance companies (requiring domicile authorisation).

He has commented on a variety of risk related topics in the broadcast and print media.

He is a regular on the conference circuit in both Europe and the US, and has been invited to speak at this year's Airmic conference in Bournemouth. He has also represented the UK at a junior level in table tennis and judo.

Kirk Maddern

Property and casualty operations director, Aon
Kirk Maddern heads up Aon's property and casualty operations. He gained the position after impressing in Aon's North American property business unit.

Maddern has been instrumental in implementing Aon's Client First Servicing team. This is an internal initiative that has enabled Aon to meet clients' needs more efficiently.

He is directly responsible for nine colleagues and has indirect responsibility for the operational efficiency and compliance of 133 colleagues in the property and casualty team.

One of Maddern's most influential projects was the alignment of documentation standards and placement processes for the property business. He liaised directly with the New York office to adopt a client feedback mechanism that enables Aon to capture "perceived use value" from its network of clients.

Rory Moloney

Managing director, Aon's IRMG
Rugby fans may remember Rory Moloney as a dashing player for London Irish and various Irish provinces, as well as Oxford University and the Ireland national Under-21 team.

Unfortunately, injury cut short his rugby career but he has since forged an impressive CV in the insurance sector. Moloney secured an ACII qualification in 1996 and is currently completing an MBA via distance learning at Henley Management College.

Moloney joined Aon's IRMG Risk Consultancy in 1998 has been managing director since January 2004. He now manages a team of 50.

He is also a member of Aon captive services group's European operations board.

Moloney commitment to his career is evident by the number of management training programmes in which he has participated, including the Kellogg School of Management's global executive management programme and Wilson Learning Institute's negotiation and sales development course.

During Moloney's time as part of the IRMG team, the Risk Consulting business has been redefined and the business has increased revenue and performance by more than 500%.

Sarah Neale

Renewals divisional manager, Higos
Sarah Neale has been at Higos since 1994. She started as a household quoter with duties centred around telesales and has risen through the ranks to the position of Renewals Divisional Manager.

Neale's adaptability and ability to identify room for improvement has led to her having worked in almost every department in the company, including sales and customer service.

Within three months of Neale's appointment at renewals divisional manager in 2002, retention increased from 79% to 86% and became 18 days in front rather than 10.

Neale is committed to professional development and has gained a number of business qualifications, including the CII diploma. Although the renewals department is sometimes considered mundane, She has succeeded in motivating her staff and instil a sense of focus and mutual ambition.

Higos' managing director, Ian Gosden, made Sarah a board member at the tender age of 25.

Kelly Ogley

Head of acquisitions, Swinton
Kelly Ogley started her career at Swinton at the precocious age of 15. Twenty years later, she has worked her way up to the position of head of acquisitions at the broker and manages a team of 16 with a £6m budget.

She is renowned for her approachability, which she combines with her knowledge of business gleaned from her recent MBA, from which she graduated with distinction.

Ogley first came to prominence at Swinton by developing the broker's operational MI system. She was also instrumental in improving Swinton's productivity by 40% and launching a number of major products.

She has been at the forefront of Swinton's recent acquisition drive, which has seen the broker pick up 250 businesses over the past few years.

Ogley is a keen netball player and, despite her favoured position of wing attack, she has consistently refused to be left on the sidelines.

Julie Page

Zone leader (South West), Marsh
Julie Page has been at Marsh since 1999, when she came on board to build a project management capability in the broker's retail business.

Over the past seven years, Page has graduated from Marsh's accelerated leadership programme and completed the ACII qualification. She is currently studying for a BA (Hons) in international business.

Julie is South West Leader with the Corporate Client group, where she manages over 100 colleagues across a range of disciplines. In addition, Julie has leadership responsibility for the UK project risks practice, a team of specialist project consultants on PFI/PPP projects.

As if this were not enough, Page also heads up the UK public sector practice, with teams in Cardiff and Newcastle, delivering a risk and insurance service to the public sector and working with professional bodies such as CIPFA and ALARM.

She also manages to juggle her myriad responsibilities with being a full-time mother, demonstrating her commitment to retaining a healthy work/life balance.

Dave Partington

Senior vice president, Marsh
As well as being senior vice president at Marsh, Dave Partington is also sales and service leader at the broker's Reading-based international practice and UK International Practice Leader.

At Reading, Partington is in charge of a sizeable team of client and development colleagues that provide risk and insurance services to the UK operations of large overseas organisations.

During his time at the broker, Partington has managed a number of significant internal restructuring and change programmes. He has proven his value to Marsh time and again by winning and retaining major accounts.

He is a member of both the Marsh accelerated leadership programme and Insurance Times' Young Professional Roundtable.

Alan Pratten

Managing director of major accounts group, Heath Lambert
Alan Pratten manages a total of 150 staff in Heath Lambert's Major Accounts Group. The operation incorporates specialist mergers and acquisitions, captives, third party administration and credit & surety practices.

He is an M&A specialist and has advised on six of the top 10 M&A deals this year.

Pratten holds an MBA and was shortlisted for a British Insurance Award in 2002 for his work on an internal training programme.

The 37-year-old has three young children and enjoys time on the slopes, although word has it that his skiing technique is not quite as effective as his management skills.

Justin Priestley

Director of crisis management, Aon
Justin Priestly's experience in the British Army makes him ideally qualified for his role as director of crisis management at Aon.

Priestly spent the last six years of a distinguished Army career in counter terrorism and bomb disposal. The pinnacle of his service career was the award of the George Medal for gallantry in 2000.

The 35-year-old graduated from the City & Guilds Institute in military technology.

After joining Aon in 2001, Priestly was immediately faced with the 11 September crisis. He used his military experience combined with his risk management expertise to pioneer Aon's consultative approach to terrorism risk.

His remit incorporates terrorism, political risk, product risk management and crisis consulting. Priestly also finds time in his busy schedule to be an active member of the Institute of Explosive Engineers.

After Priestly's experiences in the Army, briefing the BBC and speaking on terrorism at risk management conferences clearly hold no fears.

Matthew Reed

Managing director, HMIS
Everyone loves a sailor. Or ex-sailor in Matthew Reed's case. He is a rising star within Howden, according to the company. At 36 and within just four years of his career in insurance, Reed has become managing director of HMIS, providing professional indemnity to medical and dental professionals. He manages ten staff including managers, brokers and a team of medical and dental consultants.

Since joining Howden, he has worked across a number of its divisions including marketing, construction PI, UK D&O, and now HMIS. As well as secondments internally in the UK, Reed has spent time working with some of our international offices and partners in a number of markets, including Finland, Australia, Spain and France.

Reed spent 12 years in the services, and was a commanding officer in the Royal Navy, followed by a year in the United Nations, "dodging bullets" by his own account. He believes being thrown into extremely tense situations has equipped him with the self-discipline, leadership, and time management skills needed for the industry.

Shona Robertson

Chief executive, H&R Insurance Services
At 29, Shona Robertson has achieved more than most in an exceptional career. By 22 she had already retired from international skiing career where she had been both Scottish and British champion.

Last year's winner of the Insurance Times Young Achiever of the Year Award graduated from the Cass Business School at City University, where she studied for her Masters in Insurance and Risk Management. She studied 14 subjects and finished with the highest mark of the year for her dissertation. By October 2007, she will have her full ACII qualification.

Last year she took over as chief executive of the 55-strong H&R Insurance Services in December 2004. The Aberdeen-based company operates as a commercial and personal lines insurance broker.

Robertson assumed control of this £15m turnover operation from her father, who founded the company some 30 years ago in Elgin. The company currently holds 34,000 policies.

Mike Still

Managing director, Scotland, corporate client practice , Marsh
Like many brokers, Still is passionate about food and drink. However professionally he has specialised in the food and beverage sector for many years plus transport and construction. He also participates regularly in education events through the Young President's Organisation (www.ypo.org) where he is responsible for membership in Scotland.

He has over 20 years' experience in the insurance and risk industry. Still leads Marsh's corporate business in Scotland and is a member of the practice's UK executive, offering leadership to over 650 people. As managing director, Scotland, Still has overall responsibility for over 100 people within the practice.

Still is a great networker and has many contacts in Scotland, the UK and worldwide that create great value in helping colleagues and clients. He also acts as a charity fundraiser .

Still is a keen sportsman and his spare time is spent helping to run the family farm and supporting his wife with a horse livery business.

Graeme Trudgill

Technical services manager, Biba
Graeme Trudgill is well-known to many in the industry as technical services manager at Biba. He is a lively character with an absolute 100% commitment to excellence.

Trudgill has passed his CII diploma with distinction, earning himself a Pharos Insurance Brokers prize in the process. Before joining Biba, Trudgill managed the motor department at Stenning Insurance Services and personal lines at Layton Blackham (Surrey), where he successfully managed the merger of four brokers into one unit.

He now runs Biba's motor committee and also sits on Department for Transport Motor Insurance Compliance Action Board.

Trudgill is always willing to put himself forward for media duties and has appeared on many major television and radio networks.

He has managed Biba's professional indemnity insurance initiative and is involved with the FSA instalment working group.

Among Trudgill's less well-publicised interests is his perusal of the entire Road Safety Bill. His interest in Ferraris and Lamborghinis doesn't extend to his own collection, which includes a Ford Galaxy.

Brian Watson

Commercial account handler, Jelf Group
Brian Watson began his career with the Moorhouse Group in April 2000. Although he attended university, the lure of a career and the need of a greater professional challenge caused him to discontinue his studies after a year when his application to join the Moorhouse Group as a telephone operator was accepted.

Watson's first task was to obtain renewal dates for the corporate customer database. He was quickly promoted to a sales advisory position to focus on the main business' function — selling insurance policies. In June 2003, he was promoted to business development manager to lead the Xbroker division, utilising state-of-the-art technology to serve brokers.

Watson is well known for his innovative work as a broker and has continued his challenging approach to his work since joining the Jelf Group.

Richard Waterer

Head of European marketing, Marsh's Risk Consulting Practice
Broking can be a political minefield so Waterer's degree in political communication holds him in good stead. In his five years at Marsh, Waterer has progressed from marketing manager of the broker's business continuity management services to head of European Marketing for its entire portfolio of risk consulting services, a position he achieved at the age of 31. This role entails developing, positioning and marketing Marsh's risk consulting services - from diverse subjects as business continuity management, stress, corporate governance and product recall - to clients and prospects across the region.

Waterer is also a regular contributor on risk and business issues in the media, and has been invited to present at numerous conferences around Europe in the past.

In 2005, he developed and led a major piece of research to help Marsh understand the competitive strengths of its consulting services, the results of which have contributed directly to its business plan.

This year, Waterer is writing a management guide on risk for Marsh, which is designed to help business managers in small to medium firms understand the benefits of managing risk.

Paul Williams

Regional managing director, The Towergate Partnership
PaulWilliams is in charge of Towergate's southern region and controls premium income in excess of £110m. He reports directly to Towergate's UK Broking chief executive, Amanda Blanc.

Williams has worked in insurance since 1988 and his impressive CV includes stints at Royal Insurance as a graduate trainee, Endsleigh and Hill House Hammond, as commercial director.

At HHH, Williams worked directly for Eric Galbraith, now Biba chairman. He was a key player in trebling the company's GWP from £18m to £65m in the space of three years. In 2004, Williams was given the responsibility for leading the sale of the division to Towergate (then Folgate). Subsequently, he was made regional managing director at Folgate. The 37-year-old is ACII qualified and a chartered insurance broker. Among other activities, Williams has been president of the Cheltenham Insurance Institute. Williams was the original guiding force behind Towergate's Chairman's Club.

Alan Williamson

Chief executive, Marsh's Risk Consulting Practice (Europe and Middle East)
To list all the acronyms of Williamson's professional qualifications would look like some complicated chemical equation. He qualified 18 years ago with a degree in risk management, but his knowledge of intricate and complex risks across Eastern Europe and the Middle East is where he has made his mark.

Williamson leads Marsh's Risk Consulting Practice, overseeing 250 consultants engaged in modelling and design, risk strategies, human capital, business continuity and property risk services.

He was one of the early pioneers of strategic risk assessment and the links to corporate governance. Alan has also developed risk classification and measurement tools used in a number of industries around the world, and has been responsible for the development of corporate risk management systems in use by a number of the world's top companies.

Famously among his peers, Williamson obtained a recording contract at the age of 18. He has since recorded six albums and released three singles with his band, Molly Splash ( www.mollysplash.co.uk ). Williamson is still composing and producing music. IT