DUAL has announced the appointment of David Harries as group director of underwriting, effective from January 2024. In this new role, Harries will closely collaborate with Alan Telford, DUAL Group CUO.

Before joining DUAL, Harries was associated with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, where he held the position of executive underwriter. With a career spanning over 30 years, he held various roles at QBE, including head of financial lines and active underwriter at Syndicate 386. Harries has also managed teams of underwriters in both Lloyd's and Company Markets.

Richard Clapham, CEO of DUAL Group, also expressed the company’s appreciation for Telford’s significant contributions to the business and noted his planned departure in the summer of 2024. Telford's intent to travel the world was disrupted by the global pandemic, making his continued presence within the leadership team since 2020 especially valuable. The handover to Harries in January 2024 is anticipated in this key role.

“We’re delighted to welcome David, whose experience makes him a fantastic addition to our Group. DUAL’s regional business model enables our local underwriting teams to respond in an agile way to an ever-evolving market. David will work collaboratively with each of our four regions, ensuring we have a global overview of underwriting trends and will help maximise cross-region partnerships with our carrier partners,” Clapham said.

“David’s proven track record in delivering growth, combined with a deep knowledge of the insurance sector gives him a great perspective on how we can best expand our product range to meet the needs of our brokers and their clients,” Clapham said.

Earlier this year, DUAL’s parent company, Howden, announced an upcoming unification for its business structure under one global executive.

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