NIG takes staff from AXA and Chartis UK

NIG has taken staff from AXA and Chartis to beef up its regional underwriting capability.

Louise Field joins as area underwriting manager from AXA and Ruth Owens becomes area business development manager having been taken from Chartis UK.

Field will report to Stuart Webb, NIG’s head of regional trading, and head up a 45-strong team of underwriting and service professionals focused on the London SME market.

Field spent 11 years at AXA Insurance, the last three as national manager - property owners.

Under her stewardship, the unit improved its combined operating ratio and hit its new business gross written premium target. Between 2004 and 2008, Field was AXA Insurance’s area manager for London.

Webb said: “Louise has significant experience in the Greater London market and is very well connected to NIG’s core audience of London brokers. Her remit will be to grab new business opportunities and take market share while maintaining absolute discipline on profitable underwriting.”

Owen spent seven years at Chartis Insurance, latterly as business development manager, following roles at Allianz Cornhill, AGF and Norwich Union. She will report to Dave Parry, director of sales and distribution at NIG Commercial.

Webb said: “NIG is improving its operation, changing the type of people working for the business and focusing on growth and service excellence. We will be hiring more talented staff in the forthcoming months: we also have vacancies in London and want to talk to underwriters and relevant executives about coming to work for a reinvigorated NIG.”

NIG has launched a suite of new products and packages over the past year such as premium property owners and commercial combined with the aim of winning UK market share on a long-term basis.