Andy Homer and Phillip Bell attended the Open User Group AGM last week
The chief executives of Towergate and Open International outlined their plans for the business following the recent acquisition, at the Open User Group AGM last week.
Andy Homer, Towergate, and Phillip Bell, Open GI, were joined by over 60 member brokers from across the country, including User Group Chairman, John Regan, and the Board of Open International and User Group Regional chairmain.
There was a preview of Open GI’s new web based commercial trading platform, Open Trader, the multi-carrier solution which has been developed to complement imarket and is being launched initially to Countrywide members.
Also launched during the event was the new Open GI Broker Charter – a six point plan to reassure brokers that security of client data is paramount following the Towergate acquisition and that investment in software and insurance products will be further accelerated.
The event closed with a broker Q&A session hosted by Andy Homer, Phillip Bell and John Regan. The majority of questions related to the impact of Open Trader and what Towergate’s next move will be.
John Regan, chairman, Open User Group, said: “User Group members have witnessed a number of changes in Open’s history over recent years, not least of which was the acquisition by Towergate. The AGM provided a great opportunity to collectively discuss future plans for the business and to hear Andy Homer and Phillip Bell’s thoughts on new developments such as Open Trader. Combined with the facilities available within Towergate, this technology could represent a revolution in the placing of commercial risks.
“As the reasons behind the Towergate purchase become clearer, the logic behind the deal becomes more and more obvious. I think that 2008 could prove to be a very interesting year. Members have certainly gone away feeling confident that the future of their software house is in safe hands.”
Phillip Bell, CEO, Open International, said: “The acquisition and development of new initiatives such as Open Trader mark the beginning of a new chapter for Open International – one which we could not embark on without the backing of our users. The User Group represents the opinions of over 500 broker members and therefore it’s vital that we continue to work together as closely as possible. Events such as the AGM are always a big success as they allow topics to be discussed in an open environment. The future looks more exciting than ever for the business, but more importantly for our brokers.”
