A series of appointments across the UK insurance sector this month underline ongoing shifts in digital capability, delegated authority development, and specialist underwriting leadership.
Atrium, the Lloyd’s-based specialty insurer, has promoted Adam Payne (pictured above, left) to deputy head of digital underwriting. He will support Simon Lewis, head of digital underwriting, in expanding the firm’s digital underwriting operations.
Payne’s responsibilities include the delivery and scaling of digital tools such as AUGold, Atrium’s proprietary quote-and-bind platform. AUGold writes specialty business across several territories and has recently expanded to offer a full lifecycle API for agency partners.
Payne will also support ongoing development of Atrium’s internal and external innovation efforts, including the Lloyd’s Lab and Product Launchpad, and Atrium Innovate, the firm’s internal product development initiative.
Meanwhile, Gallagher has named Steve Parker (pictured above, right) as managing director of Vasek Insurance, its UK property-focused managing general agent (MGA). Parker will oversee Vasek’s operations within the UK & Ireland Retail division, taking charge of product development, insurer partner relationships, and distribution strategies.
Vasek provides access to non-standard property insurance products for brokers and UK-based clients. The company employs a team of 80 insurance professionals and focuses on cover for landlords, unoccupied homes, high net worth clients, non-standard residential risks, and blocks of flats.
Parker brings over three decades of industry experience to the role, having held leadership positions across the UK and Middle East in both personal and commercial insurance. He most recently served as product development director at Staysure Group and was previously chief insurance officer.
His earlier roles included managing director at Jensten Underwriting and associate director at Coversure Insurance.
He succeeds James Collins, who has moved to lead Gallagher’s national real estate offering. Parker will report to David Birch, managing director of SME at Gallagher UK & Ireland Retail.
Earlier this month, Gallagher also named Clare Francis as an independent non-executive director. She chairs the remuneration committee and joins the nominations, audit and risk committees.
In a related development, Root Platform (Root), a core platform for delegated authority business, has appointed Oliver Evans as head of growth UK. Evans will be responsible for leading Root’s expansion in the UK, supporting insurance firms looking to digitally manage and distribute delegated authority products.
Evans has previously held senior roles at insurtech firms Praedicat and Loro, and has experience underwriting casualty treaty reinsurance at Lloyd’s. His background includes go-to-market strategy, partnership development, and insurance product innovation across the UK and North American markets.
Root said that the appointment reflects its strategy to support UK brands aiming to embed insurance solutions into digital environments and develop new revenue opportunities.
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