Earlier this year at the 2023 BIBA Conference in Manchester, Steve White revealed that he would be stepping down as CEO of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA). Today, the association has announced it has found his successor in former executive director Graeme Trudgill who steps into the role with immediate effect.
In a Press release, BIBA noted that Trudgill’s appointment follows a process conducted by an independent third party to consider external and internal candidates.
Commenting on the news, BIBA Chair, Jonathan Evans, said: “Graeme is a force to be reckoned with in the insurance industry, and is the right choice for our next CEO. He has been a key player at BIBA, involved in strategic decisions at the very top for a long time.
“Graeme has outstanding engagement skills being able to unify multiple stakeholders for the benefit of brokers. During my time as an MP, I had direct experience of his professional approach to lobbying for and representation of BIBA’s members, so I am without doubt that he will successfully take BIBA through its next phase.”
Discussing his appointment, Trudgill said he will be “leading from the front”, using his experience as a broker and his 22 years at BIBA to take the association to the next level. He noted that he is in a unique position to understand what members need and to build on the success of White’s leadership.
“We are in the change business,” he said, “with ever developing changes to legislation, regulation, technology, risks and customer needs. I am prepared to make necessary adaptations, here at BIBA, to our approach and activities that will provide the best possible support for members as we move forward.”
Trudgill, who has been a member of BIBA’s main board for 10 years, has led the policy team in incorporating corporate affairs, technical services and communications.
In addition, he was personally responsible for BIBA’s public affairs lobby with government, displaying a keen understanding of members’ issues including through his authorship of BIBA’s annual Manifesto and his involvement with its advisory boards. Trudgill is also a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, a Chartered insurance practitioner - and was previously a practising insurance broker.
White, who leaves BIBA as its longest-serving CEO, having led the association for 10 years also commented on the appointment and said it has been “a pleasure” to work with Trudgill for over 19 years. He added that he is delighted with the board’s selection and said, “I’m certain I’m leaving BIBA in the most capable hands.”
Jane Kielty, BIBA’s deputy chair said: “Graeme is already influential in all the areas relevant to insurance brokers. He has a strong reputation for successfully working with government, industry bodies and leading key policy decisions that are vital to the future of brokers. He is committed to broking, has experience as a broker and has proved his dedication by championing brokers through multiple media and TV interviews and by representing and defending them to Parliamentary Committees.”
Evans concluded: “On behalf of BIBA’s board and members, I would like to thank Steve for his incredible contribution to BIBA and brokers, through his decade of serving as CEO and before, as well as a lifetime of commitment to the industry. He has achieved great things for the association and leaves it in the strongest possible position. We wish him well in his retirement.”
