Second Giles branch manager joins TEn in plans to double Scottish broker base

TEn Insurance network has hired Kevin Donnachie as the new broker development manager for Scotland as it plots to double its number of Scottish-based brokers over the next three years.

The hire coincides with the opening of the Scottish office in Glasgow, which has given the network a permanent presence in Scotland for the first time. The network is also planning to hire two additional people to work with Donnachie.

Managing director Malcolm Lee said opening a Scottish office meant that the network would be able to offer focused local support and was part of a wider strategic plan to invest into different regions, depending on members’ needs.

Prior to joining TEn, Donnachie was a branch manager at Giles’ Inverness office for 10 years.

Lee said: “We’ve long been aware that there are large numbers of brokers in Scotland who would much rather be part of an independent network rather than a large consolidator and enquiries seem to have picked up significantly in the last 12 months.

“We’ve always believed in the concept of regional offices for local brokers, as with our Manchester office, so it seemed to be the right time to make our presence in Scotland a permanent one.

“We’re delighted to bring Kevin on board – he has a wealth of local knowledge that will be invaluable to us as we seek to grow our Scottish operation.”

TEn has been building its broker membership in Scotland since 2006 and now has 11 Scottish brokers – almost a tenth of its overall membership.

The latest to join is Insure Scotland based in Inverness, a broker start-up run by Murray Macara, who was previously a Giles Branch manager at Glasgow’s head office.