London-based RSA has announced changes to its commercial lines operation with the creation of two new divisions, as well as the appointment of a chief underwriting officer for the UK & International region.
Effective immediately, RSA’s UK commercial lines business will be split into two distinct units, related to customers’ needs, the size and complexity of their insurance risks, and where they operate, the company said in a statement.
The units are called Global Risk Solutions and Commercial Risk Solutions, which RSA describes as follows:
Global Risk Solutions covers global specialty lines including marine and will be headed by Managing Director Hayley Robinson, previously Global Specialty Lines director at RSA.
Commercial Risk Solutions includes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), regions, mid-market and delegated business as well as the company’s Motability partnership (which provides home insurance for disabled people). Jim Reeve, currently Commercial Sales & Distribution director, will lead this division on an interim basis until a permanent appointment is announced.
RSA said the new structure will enable it to better serve customers and compete more effectively within its chosen markets, “providing our customers and brokers with improved access to decision-makers across our business.”
In addition, Finlay Smith, UK Commercial Underwriting and Pricing director, has been appointed to the newly created position of chief underwriting officer for UK & International, effective immediately.
Smith, Robinson and Reeve will report to Steve Lewis, RSA’s chief executive officer for UK & International. The appointments are subject to regulatory approval. (See below for the three biographies).
“Our new commercial lines operating model provides a much greater level of clarity and focus around how we go to market and deliver effectively for our customers and brokers, and gives due recognition to their different needs,” said Lewis.
“This enhanced business focus allows us to be more agile and responsive, and ultimately easier to do business with, while providing the best products and services,” he added.
Lewis went on to say: “Underwriting is at the heart of our business. Finlay’s promotion to chief underwriting officer is in recognition of the increased importance we place on this discipline as the adoption of enhanced pricing and underwriting practices accelerate in a digital and data-enabled world. I am also delighted to have the opportunity to promote Hayley Robinson to my executive team. She brings a wealth of experience as we look to re-energize and expand our offering in the Global Risk Solutions space.”
Biographies
Hayley Robinson was director of Global Specialty Lines at RSA UK for more than two years and previously held the position of Underwriting, Claims and Reinsurance director of RSA’s Emerging Markets businesses. She joined RSA in 2013 from Aviva where she spent 18 months in the role of chief underwriting officer for Personal Lines. Prior to that she held leadership positions spanning both underwriting and claims in RSA’s international business.
Finlay Smith joined RSA as an underwriting clerk in accident and liability insurance in Edinburgh. Always operating in commercial insurance, he gained significant experience across a number of disciplines and regions in the UK before coming to London in 2001 as UK Property Underwriting manager. Smith left RSA to join QBE in 2008 to lead and expand its UK and European Markets commercial property business across 15 countries before returning to RSA in 2013 as UK Commercial Underwriting & Pricing director.
Jim Reeve joined RSA in January 2015 as Sales & Distribution director for UK Commercial. Reeve has a track record of leading a range of large financial services organizations, RSA said. Until April 2004 he was managing director of Zurich Financial Services in the UK before joining Barclays Bank to lead their financial planning business. In 2008 he was appointed CEO of Positive Solutions, the largest IFA business in the UK. More recently he established his own business consultancy practice, advising organizations on their business strategies.
Source: RSA
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